Operation Get My Lily
by Arya Lupin
Summary: "I won't be another notch in your belt Potter!" Evans yelled across the Great Hall.- Lily hates James. James Loves Lily. Lily loves James. No wait, she hates James...its cupid stupid! All Marauder Characters involved!
1. Chapter 1 The List

"You'll stay with me?'  
'Until the very end,' said James." ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling. I am just playing with her wonderful characters who still hold my heart. What a nerd I am—in the future people will say, you are such a Potter Head, instead of you are such a Trekkie!

Operation Get My Lily has been taken down and revised. This is the first chapter of the revised story. I know a lot of you loved the old story but please give this one a chance and let me know what you think, pretty please? Also, if you have something James Potter should not do, drop a line! For now…Enjoy-

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Chapter One

The List

When two people are meant for each other, no time is too long, no distance is too far, no one can ever tear them apart. –Author Unknown

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With an angry sigh Lily Evans set her school bag onto her table in the library, dropping into a seat across from it.

She was positive, well almost positive, that the Marauders had no idea what a library was; let alone where it was in their school, with perhaps the exception of Remus Lupin.

Lily wasn't sorry they lost over two hundred points, nor was she sorry that Potter would be missing over a month's worth of Quidditch practices due to detention. Potter had deserved it, strutting around the school as if he owned it; he needed to pay for his insolence. Stealing from Slughorn's stores, having the Gamekeeper lie for them, and tricking Snape into taking the fall for something he hadn't done.

If she believed any of that then why did she feel so guilty?

What did it matter that Snape had called her a busy body for interfering and had told her to keep her irritatingly skinny nose out?

Even if James did deserve it, why was her stomach doing flips of guilt from what she had done? Lily could still feel tears prickling at the corner of her eyes and James' angry use of "hussy" ringing in her ears.

Taking a deep breath, Lily pulled a Transfiguration book towards herself trying to get lost in the written world and blocking out the events of the afternoon.

She and James had been fighting since they had first bumped into each other on the Hogwarts Express. Every time she said no to a date, or pointed out when he was being a jerk, another fight would start.

Fishing her wand from out of her robes she tapped a section in her book rather harshly. A pink hue appeared around the words highlighting the paragraph for her to come and look at again later.

Minutes later though, her aggressive studying was put to a halt as a shadow loomed up above her blocking out the torch light. A second later the shadow lowered itself into a chair across from her and Lily looked up into the calm face of Remus Lupin; the only marauder she really liked.

"You and James are becoming too predictable Lils." Remus said as he settled into the hard backed library chair.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked setting her wand down onto the table and frowning.

"Whenever you two fight, which is often," Remus added, grinning when Lily made another face, "You come in here and abuse some books and James goes off to fly laps. Only this time he has to find something else to amuse himself with as he is banned from the field."

"I am not going to say sorry Remus. He had no right to do what he did!" Lily said, slamming her book shut and giving Remus a withering look. She could feel her anger boiling just below the surface setting her teeth on edge.

"I wasn't asking you to Lily, I only came in to see if you were okay and to make a suggestion, if you're willing to hear it. I can go away if you'd rather." Remus said sounding amused with her.

In all the years she had known him, Remus was always calm had always found a way to make a situation more amusing. His deep calm did not seem to have any sway or control over his mates, it just gave him a certain edge when disapproving of one of their many pranks.

"What do you suggest?" Lily asked fiddling with her wand.

"Make a treaty of sorts," Remus said.

"How do you suggest us doing that with him- with him-"

"Being such an arrogant pompous prick?" Remus supplied the words for her, Lily nodded her agreement.

"Yeah, all of that." Lily said.

"Write a contract of things James can and cannot do, and then have him sign it. Simple as that." Remus shrugged standing up and stretching, "And if not that then something! Talk to him, agree to a civil date. Anything! Us Prefects are really getting tired of cleaning up James' and your messes." Then with a cheery wave which told Lily he was not as frustrated as he acted, he turned and walked off leaving Lily alone and more confused than ever.

In theory what Remus had just suggested was simple.

To make a treaty with James Potter and finish out their final two years at Hogwarts as friends.

Lily could not help but snort at that idea, there were three absolutely true facts which Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry knew for certain.

The first being that you never, ever skip down the hallway singing, "So We're Off To see The Wizard"; when sent to the Headmaster's office. Sirius Black did this once after Lily had explained in full detail to him him who and what the Wizard of Oz was, and ended up in detention for a week.

The second being that Professor Minerva McGonagall was not a witch to be trifled with under any circumstances, whatsoever. McGonagall was also fondly known as Minnie to her most frequent detention attendees, the Mauraders. A nick name that none of them dared to utter around McGonagall less they become victims of her wrath. For someone so young, Minnie was rather stern.

The third and final fact was drilled into the mind of every student who had ever witnessed one of the truly frightening fights between the Redheaded Witch and The Jet Black Haired Wizard, a truth that was unshakable. James and Lily did not like each other and the two of them being in the same room was to be avoided whenever possible. These three facts were set in stone, as the Marauders had engraved them on the boys' bathroom wall one day in third year.

It was simple logic really; James Potter was the absolute bane of her existence.

Though you had to have strong feelings for a person to hate them... did that mean she felt more than just hate for James Potter?

"They had to love each other deeply to hate each other with such passion." Her mother's favorite quote floated into her mind.

Lily snorted, dismissing the thought as soon as it had crossed her mind.

Love? Potter? What a riot! James Potter was everything she wasn't, pig-headed, mean, vindictive, and a bully.

Lily had spent a significant amount of her time since entering Hogwarts trying her damnedest to not be like him and she was pretty sure she was succeeding in doing so.

Taking a deep breath she reopened her book trying to shove the words which Remus had spoken out of her mind along with the confusion which was battling to take over her heart and drive her insane.

Within moments she was shutting the book; drumming her fingers against the table in front of her.

A few seconds later she slumped, her head falling with a slight bump against the table. 'Stupid James, this is entirely your ruddy fault,' she thought glaring up through a slit in her crossed arms.

Muttering a quick curse that would make her mother box her ears, Lily jumped up grabbing her bag and stomped out of the library. Even in her sanctuary, a place James Potter probably had never been in, she couldn't get him out of her mind.

Grumbling about Potter and all the things he messed up, Lily slammed the library door shut and headed off towards the dorms.

The hallways were deserted; students were off at dinner, gorging themselves on whatever delicious food that the house elves had prepared.

Halfway to her dorm she spun on her heel and went back the direction she came from; she might as well burn some of this frustration off walking laps around the lake. Maybe then she'd be able to get some homework done and sleep peacefully tonight.

Outside, the half moon had risen covered by grey clouds. Walking across the lawn towards the lake Lily took a large gulp of air, spun on the ground and dropped backwards enjoying the hefty fragrance let out by the grass as she settled onto her back.

Just beyond her feet the inky blackness of the Great Lake glittered.

'The nerve of James Potter and his arrogant pig headed ways!' Lily thought glaring up at the sky. Her best friend Alice Powers was no help, she had somehow let it slip about Lily's strange, recent dreams of one James Potter. Now of course James wouldn't let it rest, he brought them up at every chance, strutting around with his chest puffed out as if he were the most amazing man to ever walk this earth. The problem with that was, he probably was.

He was probably the most handsome, pig-headed, kind-hearted young fool she had ever met. Which would never have been a problem if he didn't know it and use it to his full advantage; he was, after all, a teenage boy.

How many girlfriends had he had this year alone and they weren't even in their second month of school! He also held the largest amount of detentions ever earned in the first three weeks of school than anyone else. Something he was undoubtedly proud of!

Sighing, Lily shut her eyes allowing the cool evening air to wash over her and the grass to tickle her face.

If she could believe the iron clad truths of Hogwarts then she and James detested each other and always would. If that was the fact though why did her stomach clench so painfully whenever she thought about James?

Opening her eyes she rolled onto her stomach pulling a piece of parchment out from her school bag as she did so.

A list of things that James Potter wasn't allowed to do, a list she would never show him because the moment she did then he would do every one of those things and more. Or more to the point, it was a list of every fantasy she had ever had. Every romantic notion, every silly child's dream and each one of them centering around an inky-black haired boy.

"Alright there Prongs? You weren't at dinner; the map said you'd be out here." Remus Lupin's voice drifted out over the lawn. Lily tensed holding her breath as she watched them pass by just a few inches in front of her face. Lily moved lower into the tall grass of the Hogwarts grounds feeling them tickling her face. If she was lucky they would do laps around the Great Lake allowing her ample time to escape back into Hogwarts.

Luck though, was not in her favor, Remus settled a few feet away from her. Turning her head, Lily wondered how she'd missed James who had sat mere feet from her spot moments before. He was holding a stolen snitch in his hand, letting it escape further and further each time before snatching it back up again.

"Did you speak to her then?" James asked not bothering to answer the question that Remus had just asked.

Lily frowned letting her breath out softly and then drawing in another. Had Remus only come to speak with her in the library because James had asked him to?

"Yes and since it's Evans she is going to do what I suggested, she likes a challenge…Remind me again why I'm doing this?" Remus asked sounding vaguely amused.

Lily slunk a little lower to the ground crouching down until she was in a small crawl. She had to get out of here, either that or yell at Remus! He was helping James! A feeling of hurt crawled its way up from inside of her stomach which she immediately squashed down. Of course Remus would offer to help James, James was his best mate after all.

"So you think she'll-"

"Accept the idea of trying to be your friend? Yes. But James if you mess up again, I don't think you're going to get any other chances. I'm not even sure this plan of yours is going to work, Evans isn't going to be putty in your hands like all the other girls." Remus said.

Lifting her head from its bent position Lily peered around at the two boys. They were sitting side by side and James was holding his wand spinning it around and around a bemused expression on his face. He almost looked like a teacher helping his favorite student with a project. Remus's eye lifted from his friend's wand and glanced around as though he felt himself being watched. Lily quickly dropped back down holding her breath again.

"I know, I know." James said as if he'd been saying the same words for the past few months. "I just hope the plan goes well. Since you came up with it, I have more faith in it than in one of my own plans."

Remus snorted, Lily could hear a slight scuffle ensue and the bark-like laugh of Sirius Black joining in. "You just got wiped by Moony, Prongs. You're slipping." Sirius bragged, as he marched across the lawn and dropped down next to them. Lily lifted her head again watching them. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips at the scene in front of her; James had knocked Remus over onto his back; both of them were eyeing Sirius for a moment as he settled then they jumped together onto Sirius. They tumbled sideways within inches from where Lily was concealed in the grasses. For just a moment Lily felt a pair of eyes fix on her before they were laughing, rolling away as they tussled.

Holding her breath once more, Lily listened hard as the sound of fighting ended and the three of them settled down again.

"Why do you even care what happens with Evans?" Sirius asked and Lily made a face.

She and Sirius had never really gotten along; then again she enjoyed their rows. They could go on for hours auguring and bickering before one of them would bother asking what the original topic was that they had disagreed on. They were like brother and sister, never quite getting along but never enemies.

"That my dear Padfoot," James proclaimed in a booming laughing voice, "Is why, even I, can call you a git."

Lily snorted into her hand crawling like a baby would towards the Forbidden Forest where she quickly slipped underneath its sheltering branches. Reaching up, Lily smoothed her hair down onto her head before shaking the grass from her white blouse and emerging several feet away from her original spot. She moved at a slow jog, acting as if she were only just out for a nighttime stroll.

As she walked Lily could hear the laughter of the marauders and their jesting as they began to stand and fall into step back towards the castle.

Swallowing hard, Lily took the steps two at a time, staying far ahead of them and slipping in through the double oak doors. She then ducked down hiding behind the house points glasses.

A moment later she watched as the three of them entered the school, Remus turning to shut the door.

A piece of parchment was resting in Black's hands; Lily watched as he read trying to keep her breath slow and quiet even as it came in pants. She hated jogging as it made a girl bounce to the point of pain and left them panting and out of breath. A slow smile stretched across Black's face as his eyes flittered to the end of the parchment, "Well, well, well, look what I've found."

"A brain?" Remus jested, grinning as he walked over.

Sirius snorted, "Good one Wolf pup, no." He held up the parchment and Lily felt her heart stop, "101 Things James Potter is Not Allowed To Do!"

She had forgotten her list outside. Her heart hammered hard against her chest, Lily was sure the boys would be able to hear it.

()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()*()

From her vantage point behind the tall hour glasses that held the common room points, Lily could see the boys standing in the entrance hall. She watched as a grin spread across Potter's face as he moved forward to take the list from Black's hand. "Well, well something to help with our plan then." James' grin widened, operation 'Get His Evans' was going along swimmingly, this list, only improved his chances.

Lily was still groaning softly into her hands long after the boys had made their way back to the Gryffindor common room. What was she going to do? James Potter had her list of romantic fantasies at his disposal and could use them to his advantage however and whenever he decided to.

Feeling very bleak indeed, Lily made her slow way back towards the common room, letting her shoe scrap against the stone floor. Her mind ran circles around itself trying to remember what all she had put on the list; maybe then she would not be so embarrassed when Potter pulled it on her. Yet the harder she thought about it the more her thoughts became jumbled up and she was unable to pull a single coherent idea from them.

Her only comforting thought, as she snuggled into bed that night, was that maybe she could guilt Remus into giving her the list back.

A deep flowery scent surrounded Lily; each breath was filled with its pleasing smell. Her right hand was buried beneath something soft and slightly damp, and despite the deep cold in her room, she felt warm.

Whatever was assaulting her sense with that delicate smell was also warming her bed chasing the chilly air away.

"Lily, it's time to wake up and greet the world!" Alice announced outside of her bed curtains her voice chipper as it was every morning. This had been Alice's ritual every day since they had started school together and she had first learned that Lily hated mornings with a passion.

"No," Lily muttered, hiding her face deeper into the flowery scent and trying to block out the obnoxious laughter of her fellow year-mates. This too was a part of their ritual.

"Lily, get up and greet the day!" Alice ordered ripping open her bed hangings. Lily cursed and curled into a tight ball, waiting for when Alice would bounce onto her bed as she did every time Lily refused to drag her sorry butt out of bed.

Ye the bounce never came, Lily cracked an eye open to see what Alice was doing, closing it when her head gave a particularly hard throb. It seemed her feelings about this day being the worse day so far in sixth year were turning out to be true. Lily had one of the worst headaches of her entire, young adult life.

"Who sent them?" Alice squealed suddenly pouncing on the bed and making the whole frame shake.

Lily cursed incoherently grabbing at her aching head as she sat up to glare at her overly-hyper best friend.

"Who sent what?" she asked grouchily, still swathed in the scent of roses.

"The flowers, you silly goose!" Alice proclaimed grabbing up a handful of red rose petals and tossing them up around Lily's head. Confused Lily lifted her right hand which had been covered in the soft red petals and turned it sideways to let the petals drift softly back onto her bed.

Each small petal was cloaked in warmth, bathing her body in a gentle heat. Lily's brow creased in thought; she had thought it was a dream the heady smell of flowers. The deep warmth she had assumed came from the five blankets she was buried under.

"I don't know..." She stuttered in response, her face a mask of confusion. Who would send something like this to her? 'Potter.' Her mind pondered, throwing the name out of nowhere, igniting one thought after another. James Potter would definitely have the skills and resources to figure out how to do something like this especially with the help of Remus Lupin. It was apparent Remus was willing to give James all the help he needed to snare her. 'Well, it appears James isn't as big a prat as I thought he was.'

"The list," Lily said.

"You mean the list of things James is not allowed to do? But who would have that?" Alice asked frowning.

"Yeah, that list. I went for a walk last night instead of going to dinner and was reading the list again. James and his cronies came out and where talking about me. I was in such a hurry to get away I didn't realize I'd left the list outside. At least not until Black had already found it.

Alice snorted, "And you say he's a prat." She scooped up a handful of petals and tossed them in Lily's direction. Lily rolled her eyes as the petals drifted down in front of her eyes like the rice people throw at weddings. "Now," Alice said jumping up and tossing some more petals at her, "Get your lazy arse out of this bed and down to breakfast pronto!"

Lily laughed but jumped up before sitting back down quickly when her head gave a hard throb. Moving more slowly, she shut the bed hangings before stripping her nightgown off and dressing in her school uniform. Running a brush through her hair was like beating it against a wall and was to be avoided at all costs. Lily threw her gingery locks up into a untidy bun and waved glumly at her good mood as it passed her by. With another longing look at her bed she turned and walked out of the dorm room, nearly tripping on her shoelaces. Grumbling a curse she squatted down tying them in two angry knots before hurtling down the steps and out the portrait hole.

A moment later she was sent flying, her head banging hard into the wall opposite her. Swearing furiously again, Lily's mouth at times rivaled the most creative of sailors, she turned around. Remus Lupin was picking himself up off the floor with a small trail of blood running down his chin; he'd bitten right through his lip.

"Note to self, don't stop in front of the portrait hole to tie your shoe," Remus said looking up at Lily with, what could only be called, a marauder's grin, "'You okay, Lily?"

"Peachy." She snapped rubbing her head where she'd hit the wall. The lights were fading back into the normal colors that graced the hallway of the Gryffindor corridor. Remus no longer appeared as blurry as he had moments before. "Minus… the mother of all migraines." She added her voice softer when she noted the hurt look in Remus eyes.

He hadn't meant for her to get hurt; he'd just stopped to tie his shoes – in a really stupid place she might add, but it wasn't completely his fault, after all. She was the one who hadn't seen him and had barreled right into him. "I woke up with that, though, so other than a bump to match it nothing has changed." She added rubbing her forehead. She was going to have a rather nasty bruise but since she was so fair skinned that was to be expected.

"Here," Remus said pulling out his wand before walking over to her and tapping her head gently. A cooling, trickling sensation drifted from where his wand rested throughout her body. The ache in her head lessoned until it was gone. "Better?"

"Loads," Lily said returning Remus's smile and falling into step with him. If Remus was helping James in 'catching' her, then two could play at that game. She felt slightly guilty using Remus in such a way but she wasn't about to become a catch without first figuring out what James was about. Who better to help with that than Remus, one of his best mates? "You know, the strangest thing happened when I woke up." Lily commented after a few moments of silence.

Silence with Remus wasn't awkward; they could sit for hours in each other's company without having to say a word. In a lot of ways Remus was Lily's best frien or at less her best male friend.

Alice had once asked her why she had never tried anything further with Remus. Lily could hardly stop laughing long enough to explain that kissing Remus would be like kissing her own brother. He was a good friend to have; he just wasn't someone Lily wanted to be snogging senseless like half the girls in their house wanted to.

"Really? Did you wake up and trip over your own feet again? Because honestly that's not strange Lily that's just normal for you."

"Hey!" Lily laughed shoving Remus in the arm as he grinned at her. "No, I did not trip until I tripped over you! I woke up and my bed was covered in rose petals! Romantic, isn't it? I only wish I knew who sent them, because I'd really love to thank whoever it was..." Lily pretended to think, watching Remus's every facial twitch. His face was turned up in a slight smile but he didn't betray anything other than amusement, "You know, maybe it was Amos Diggory." She said coyly, sitting down at an empty seat at the Gryffindor table and still watching Remus from the corner of her eye.

"Could be," Remus said, his voice neutral as he sat down beside her pouring himself a cup of coffee before pouring some for Lily. "Want some eggs?" He asked holding the plate out to her after he set the kettle back down. Lily took it sticking her tongue out at him as she did so. Remus knew her too well to fall into the trick of giving anything away.

"Morning, Lils!" Alice greeted cheerfully settling into place beside Lily. "Morning, Remus." She added noticing the boy who had joined their normal group of two.

"Morning, Alice," Remus greeted kindly pouring her a cup of coffee before handing it down to her. His eyes flickered from her face to her lips were her lip gloss seemed to have gotten smeared somehow.

"Have some eggs you two." Lily said dumping some onto both their plates.

"What happened to your head Lils?" Alice asked carefully touching the places where Lily had hit the wall.

Lily laughed, her annoyance from moments earlier gone, she reached out grabbing and buttering a piece of toast as she began to explain what had happened.

The rest of the day passed as it normally did, shuffling from one class to another, lunch and then back to the final classes of the day.

To Lily the day seemed to fly by. One moment she was sitting down in Transfiguration and the next she was crossing the grounds for Care of Magical Creatures class, which was not only one of her favorite but would be the end to her day.

They were in green house six that day working with some of the more rare and dangerous creatures. "A bloody sucker," Professor Styles explained, "Has six rows of extremely sharp teeth as well as a thick layer of skin which can release a poison into your skin. They can also expand to the average size of a young dragon. So let's be careful, and not grab blindly shall we? You'll be milking them for what we have here are nurse maids. Their milk makes a wonderful cure for broken bones. "Begin." Styles said after making sure they all knew where the tits where.

Milking bloody suckers was a lot easier then Lily would have imagined she just had to be sensitive of its extremely sharp teeth. It was rather mindless work and before long her thoughts turned to a certain black haired boy. She was determined to know for sure that it was him who had sent rose petals raining down on her while she slept. Lily had to know if the boy she'd claimed to hate for years had really changed because she wasn't going to be another girl for hime to tack onto his lists of conquest.

"Lily!" Alice hissed a second before a scalding hot pain ran the length of her arm. With a yelp Lily reached down grabbing whatever had bitten her and trying to dislodge it.

A moment too late she remembered what Professor Styles had said: never blindly grab at a blood sucker. They'll only expand; their small bodies could cover the entire abdomen of a six foot tall male within seconds. You had to throw brown rice on them; something in the rice acted as a burning agent and got the little leech-like things to let go.

"That was rather stupid was it not Ms. Evans?" Professor Styles appeared at her elbow easily dislodging the small creature. Lily sighed in relief as her hand went numb as soon as the stupid thing had fallen off. "Off to Madam Pomfrey with you." Styles dismissed her.

Nodding, Lily swung her bag up onto her shoulder taking care not to touch her numb hand and walked out of the classroom. This day was turning into one of the worst days she had ever suffered while at Hogwarts and it was all because of James Potter. If he wasn't driving her to distraction then she'd have been paying attention when working with those stupid little bloody suckers!

Therein lie the problem; James Potter was pretty much irresistible now. Somewhere in the last seven years she had gone from loathing that blow-head jerk, to liking him. There was just something about James that got under her skin and once there he wouldn't let go.

From around the edge of the Hogwarts building Lily could hear giggling, the high pitched laughter of a female and the annoyed voice of a male. Pausing, she listened, her teeth gritting together when she recognized the male voice as James.

Glancing at her hand she grimaced, tucking it out of sight before rounding the side of the building and staying in the shadows. James Potter, the reason for all her recent air-headedness, was leaning against the castle wall with a slightly smaller form leaning against him. It was this person's trilling laughter Lily had heard. Her hands were placed on his hips and her lips were hovering just inches from his. James's face was in the shadow and all that was visible were his eyes, which were hooded.

'So he's changed has he? Yeah right.' Lily's mind sneered as she ducked back the way she came. As was typical when she was trying to sneak away quietly, she blew her own cover. Her nose itched and a moment later she sneezed loudly into her hand. Whether James heard or not nagged on her mind as she hurried into the castle her heels tapping against the marble floor as she moved.

James Potter, the 'playboy', changed? What had she been thinking, allowing herself to even listen to the words that Remus Lupin was speaking? James would always be the same old playboy he used to be and Lily might as well forget about him. He was no good for her anyway, Lily thought, hurrying towards the hospital wing.

She could hear footsteps behind her, slow and steady as if the person had all the time in the world. Turning the corner she paused and then sighed in relief when she saw not James Potter, but Amos Diggory. His face had three long scratches down it and though his walk was slow he seemed to be hurrying, a handkerchief clutched over his face. 'At least I'm not the only one with problems.' Lily thought, turning around on the staircase, "Hey Amos. What happened?" She asked, waiting until he caught up to her before moving on down the hallway next to him. Her hand was throbbing again which explained the slight moisture in her eyes perfectly. She absolutely wasn't crying about her little fantasy she'd endured all day about James being crushed in a few brief moments.

"I made the mistake of partnering with Black in Herbology. Although he looks about ten times worse than I do. When I left the teacher was still trying to get him to go to the hospital wing, imploring the help of his friends."

Lily laughed pulling the door open with her unhurt hand and allowing Amos to walk in first. If the teacher was still trying to get Black to come she'd be trying for the rest of her life.

Sirius Black was terribly afraid of the hospital wing; not that he would admit it to anyone. She only knew this because he'd admitted it one night to Remus after a particularly bad fist fight and he needed Remus's help with a healing spell and Lily had happened to be eaves dropping from the girls dorm steps.

"What happened to you?" Amos asked, glancing around the empty Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey seemed to be out for the moment. Lily took a seat on a bed and Amos sat across from her.

"I wasn't paying attention in Care of Magical Creatures. We were working with Blood Suckers today. Alice warned me a little too late that my hand was in the little beast's mouth."

As Amos and she sat there waiting for Madam Pomfrey her mind wandered once again back to James. He was like a bug that had somehow gotten under her skin and now there, was refusing to leave.

There were some things she just couldn't figure out about him. He claimed he wanted her, but then he goes and has a nice heated snogging session with some hussy out for a good time. Then when said girl gets attached she suddenly becomes yesterday's news and she's on the highway to Dumped town: Population, half-the-girls-at-Hogwarts.

His best mate claimed that he had changed over the summer but she remained unconvinced, especially after the little episode she had seen outside on the school grounds.

'Best to just forget him, Lily.' She thought, laughing at something that Amos said even if she was only half-listening. It was hard paying attention to another guy when James Potter still held center stage in her mind.

Forgetting James would be the ideal solution, except for one major problem: He had her list, the 101 Things that James Potter was Not Allowed to do Under Any Circumstances.

With a sigh Lily leaned back on the bed, commenting that her hand was starting to hurt more than just a few minutes ago.

"Not shocking," Amos supplied, "It's turning purple."

Lily blinked and refused the temptation to lift her hands up and look at them. She wanted her lunch and breakfast to stay where they were – in her stomach.

'101 Things that James Potter Cannot Do' had been just a silly little activity she and Alice had been writing on the train ride to school. Lily had been meaning to set it on fire and watch it burn to make sure no one could ever see it but now that James had it she had a huge problem. How was she supposed to keep away from James when he would be using that list to make every romantic dream she ever had about him come true? What would he do if he succeeded?

Dump her in a New York minute she was sure, just like all the rest.

Madam Pomfrey entered, looking a little pink cheeked as she hurried over to Amos, "Sorry Diggory, Evans. Some first-years decide to set a classroom on fire, never seen such horrible burns." She commented shaking her head as she did so.

"It's alright Madam Pomfrey, but I think you should deal with Lily first, her hands…" Amos said.

"Miss Evans is not bleeding all over herself and while I am sure the pain is a bit overwhelming she can wait the five minutes it will take me to clean this wound and heal it." Madam Pomfrey said cutting Amos off.

Lily smiled kindly at Amos. He was always the gentleman and would rather wait while bleeding everywhere than let a girl sit in pain. Why couldn't James be like that?

'Did I really just compare Amos to James? I'm mental, completely and utterly mental! And while I'm going mental talking to myself, how do I get back at James? He's broken more hearts than I can count and now he's coming after mine. Well he has been coming after mine for years, that isn't the problem; the problem would be that now he has the help of, not only Remus, but my list too.' Lily muttered a curse under her breath glancing at Madam Pomfrey to make sure she had not heard her. She was certain the teachers would be thunder struck if they ever heard her swear.

Before she had thought James had changed. Become more of the man than he had been claiming to be for the past several years. Now, though, she had a very different idea as to what he was and what he could do with his romantic notions.

'I could try and beat him at his own game.' Lily thought waving with her good hand at Amos who was deemed just fine to head off to dinner. As the door closed Madam Pomfrey bustled over to her clicking her tongue against her teeth as she looked at Lily's hand. 'Or I could just try and ignore him…' Lily focused on a spot on the ceiling biting down on her lip at the stinging pain Madam Pomfrey's careful probing was producing.

"There," Madam Pomfrey said in a shorter amount of time than Lily thought it had been. "All the thing did was bite you right?" Madam Pomfrey asked peering closely at her hand. Lily nodded her head yes. "Well then your hand should be alright then. It will hurt for a few days to a week but nothing to fret about or keep you from your studies." Madam Pomfrey had whole-heartedly supported Lily's decision to become a Medi-Witch and was always asking about Lily's studies.

Lily let her mind wander down less pleasant avenues than the bite of the bloody sucker; such as her issue with James.

He seemed to be taking up a lot of time and space in her mind as of late. Of course he made it rather hard for her to forget about him as he tended to spring up again and again like a weed. A weed that she kept uprooting and tossing into the dung heap but still the weed popped up back in her garden.

"Ow." Lily groaned moving to stand and glancing down. Madam Pomfrey was still wrapping a thin cloth bandage onto her hand.

"Well, it's not going to feel great for the next several days but it will heal." Madam Pomfrey said gently, letting go of her hand and stepping back from her.

"Thank you," Lily said as the door to the hospital wing opened and then shut with a slight click. Lily looked up from her hand, surprise flitting across her face.

Alastor Moody was standing awkwardly by the door with a frown across his lopsided lips. What he was doing on Hogwarts grounds or visiting Madam Pomfrey was beyond Lily.

Madam Pomfrey glanced up at him smiling, "Right then, off you trot Evans." She said bustling about cleaning up the room.

Looking at her, Lily could see a healthy blush across both of her cheeks. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Good evening Mr. Moody." Lily said nodding to both of them, grabbing her bag and then trotting off out of the door.

"Evans." Moody said nodding his head in return as she walked past him.

Lily looked at Moody, noting a small blush across his face much like the one Madame Promfrey had been sporting seconds ago.

Her mind filled with the blooming romance that seemed to be budding between Moody and Pomfrey. Lily wandered off towards the Common Room her boots clicking as she went.

Lily's mind impatiently pushed against the road block of thoughts about James with the budding romance between Pomfrey and Moody. Not that she really wanted to know anything about what could or could not be going on between the two, it was bad enough knowing her parents did the deed. Lily did not want to imagine the scar she would have if she let herself think about teachers doing the deed. Thoughts of books she had read over the years filtered in with thoughts of her teachers doing things that she had never wanted to think about. Normally they always ended with the guy getting the girl. Unless of course she was reading a tragedy novel in which someone almost always died, generally the female.

Lily snorted at that thought almost choking on the piece of fudge she had fished from her bag and eaten. She had no plans of dying and doubted very much that James did. Besides, Lily knew that Remus would be around to keep him from the really dangerous pranks that might strike James and Sirius' fancies.

Shaking her head Lily focused her mind onto the homework that she had yet to do for Monday's classes. While many of her fellow students found plenty of opportunity to spend their time joking around until the last minute she liked to be prepared. Plus, the sooner she was finished with her homework the sooner she was able to do something, anything else.

Of late that something else had to do with Potter.

"Lily?" Alice said rather loudly, knocking Lily on the shoulder. Lily jumped dropping her quill and looked up.

"Oh. Hi." She said lamely trying to clear the fog out of her mind that now hovered there. "Been there long?" She asked feeling like a silly, stupid, little girl who had had her first crush. It was not as though she had not dated before or been infatuated with a boy. Yet there was just something about James that made her mind go on a merry go round of emotions.

"Not long," Alice said reaching out and picking up her parchment before snorting, tossing it back down while shaking her head. "Coming for dinner?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah, right away." Lily said shoving her things into her messenger bag. Her eyes flittered to the corner of the parchment she had been working on feeling the heat rise up in her face.

Mrs. Lily Evans Potter.

Shaking her head, Lily shoved the parchment away and stuck her tongue out at Alice who rolled her eyes.

"Love the name change." Alice commented as she skipped out in front of Lily who grimaced as she followed her.

"Shove it." She muttered.

The rest of her evening seemed to past without anything more of interest. Patrol passed in peaceful silence undisturbed by James's attempts to get her to agree to a date. Mostly because Potter was oddly absent during patrol that night.

Lily's mind felt too filled with thoughts of James to really enjoy the fact he was absent.

A creature of habit, Lily began at the bottom half of her patrol route slowly making her way up from the Charms corridor back towards Gryffindor. She was used to her routine, it was grounding in the turmoil of her seventh year. It was not only the end of the first month and already James had managed to turn her life upside down.

Then again she always did say no whenever James asked her out so maybe she could still read the feminist manifesto without feeling like an utter failure. While her mind completed how much of a failure she was as a modern woman she rounded the corner back to the common room.

Lily came up short just before the common room door in the middle of swearing off all thoughts about James Potter except in vague friendly terms.

Suddenly rose petals fell down around her, their soft scent teasing her nose. Lily leaned her head back letting the soft petals fall onto her face. She noticed a small white stag was sitting in front of the common room door so reaching down, Lily picked it up. The toy was soft plush, as soft as silk against her skin. A pair of deep hazel eyes peered out of the white stag's face piercing her heart with a direct look.

Lily glanced around herself before grinning and then spinning around in a fast circle holding her hands out as the petals fell.

"Butterbeer!" She told the Fat Lady once she had stopped spinning around. The Fat Lady gave her a grin before flipping open and letting Lily clamber through.

Once inside, she cuddled the soft toy to her chest and walked across the Common Room towards bed. Most everyone seemed to have gone to sleep as they were all looking forward to the Quidditch match tomorrow. A rumor was spreading around that McGonagall had made a exception on the ban which would allow Potter to play. All the students had gone to bed earlier they were so eager for the show down between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

Lily had never understood the rival, one of her best friends was in Slytherin house; Severus Snape. He was pretty decent, a nice guy who did not seem to want to harm anyone. Yet James sang a different tune about him, claiming that he had alterative motives for wanting to be her friend. The last time Potter or even Alice had suggested that Lily had not spoken to them for over a week.

Then again Lily had seen what Slytherins could and liked to do on a regular basis. She herself had suffered some nasty spats with several Slytherin girls. Even so she could not see her friend doing anything harmful towards another soul.

Her face heated along that line of thought. Lily shook her head glancing at the common room fire. She could have sworn she had heard someone cough and snort. Her heart slammed hard into her chest for there was James Potter leaning against the wall by the fireplace. "Hey, Evans."

"Potter." Lily said icily, feeling a fierce protectiveness for not only her Slytherin friend but also for the plush toy she was holding.

Potter gave a grimace placing a hand on his heart. "You wound me." He said and Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"Did you want something Potter?" She asked forcing her tone to be more kind towards him. It was not his fault that she had been obsessing about him all evening. Neither was it his fault that she was making herself upset thinking about what he had said last year. "Sorry to sound snappy," She said feeling she owed him an explanation. For all she knew he was just going to wish her a good night, "Long day." She stated.

"I understand," Potter said giving her a smile, "Just had a question for you before you went off to bed."

"Oh? What is that?" Lily asked noticing the rather satisfied smirk he had when his eyes landed on the plush toy she was holding.

"Would you go out with me?" He said it almost as though he already knew the answer to the question and he was only asking because he wanted to hold with tradition. Maybe she was thinking too far into it.

"Pass." Lily said quickly before her mouth could say the word her mind was screaming.

"Okay then." James said giving her a grin and wink before turning around and walking off towards the boys' dorm. Lily looked at his retreating back her mouth agape wondering if that had really just happened. James turned around again as he reached the bottom of the dorm stairs. "Oh, and Evans?" James said pausing at the foot of the boys' dorm stairs. "Sweet dreams." He chuckled at Lily walking up the stairs and leaving Lily in the common room.

It was only after Lily was laying in her bed, curtains pulled shut, that Lily realized why James had been so cat-like and satisfied about the stag. Reaching out Lily pulled the stag up off of her nightstand looking at it and then setting it back down. "I really am in huge trouble." She muttered shaking her head and rolling away from the stuffed deer.

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1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

* * *

(Arya: Well here you go. The end of the first chapter of the newly revised Operation Get My Lily.)

(Sirius: Huh, kind of familiar but with a new written twist.)

(Arya: Good? Bad?)

(Sirius: I think it could turn out very interesting, but I also think we should ask these nice people to review and then see what they say?)

(Arya: Wonderful idea.)

(Sirius: Oh yeah let's-)

(Arya: Welcome our new beta reader MalfoyDebauchery to the fold.)

(MalfoyDebauchery: Hi, hello!)

(Sirius: We will always love Blair-)

(Arya: However she has currently become a super duper English Professor so now we have a new person whose brain we can pick!)

(Sirius: What a scary thought!)

(Arya: Most of my thoughts are scary—Now review kind people, please!)


	2. Chapter 2 Mind Reading

Operation Get My Lily has been taken down and revised. This is the second chapter of the revised story. I know a lot of you loved the old story but please give this one a chance and let me know what you think, pretty please? Also, if you have something James Potter should not do, drop a line! For now…Enjoy-

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling. I am just playing with her wonderful characters who still hold my heart. What a nerd I am—in the future people will say, you are such a Potter Head, instead of; you are such a Trekkie!

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Chapter Two

Mind Reading

Don't Make Me Your First Choice, Make Me Your Only One. –Author Unknown

"Lily's smile was widest of all. She pushed her long hair back as she drew close to him, and her green eyes, so like his, searched his face hungrily, as though she would never be able to look at him enough. 'You've been so brave.' He could not speak. His eyes feasted on her, and he thought that he would like to stand and look at her forever and that would be enough."

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Sunlight beamed down reaching into every dark crevice that Hogwarts had to offer. Students had gathered outside on the grounds long ago on what could possibly be the last sunny day of the year. Their eager faces dripped with sweat though none but the Slytherins held out much hope.

No one really knew what had lead to Potter being banned from playing Quidditch. They just knew that if they could not start off the season with a winning streak then they would lose the cup. That the loses would more than likely be to the Slytherin house was just icing on their proverbial cake.

From the one and only window seat in the Gryffindor common room where Lily had chosen to hide, she could just make out the cacophonous voices of her classmates. Most were excited by the prospect of a nail biting game that would be played that afternoon even without Potter able to play. The Gryffindor team was the best team at Hogwarts by far. If their star player was grounded at least they could still put up a decent fight. A decent fight they would eventually lose, everyone was sure. Lily was sure too that once they lost Slytherin's cheers would drown out everything else.

She felt guilt gnawing in her stomach. After all she had basically handed them the win because she had been the one to get Potter into trouble. Not that anyone knew what had happened, which was only slightly reassuring. At least she would not be ostracized by her classmates, just by James and his friends. Which brought up the question as to why Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew had not said a word to anyone. Was James showing amazing self growth by not pointing fingers?

Shoving thoughts of the black haired boy from her mind Lily turned back to the task at hand, she lifted her throbbing hand up to inspect it before laying it gently on her lap. Although it had been a couple weeks since she had gotten bite by the blood sucker it still felt as though it had happened only yesterday. Thoughts of Potter had pounded against the inner walls of her mind, turning into a whirlwind until all she could see was him. He had so distracted her that often times during lessons the past week she had found herself day dreaming. She'd catch herself staring out a window or even sneaking sideways glances at Potter. Due to her utter lack of attention she was now in danger of drowning under the mountain of homework piling up. Now with everyone out of the common room, distracted by the game, she had ample quiet time to catch up.

Pressing her lips together Lily puffed the air out of her mouth before flipping to the correct section of her History Of Magic text and began reading about the Goblin Rebellions that no one, except Professor Binns, really cared to remember. Honestly, history was a thing of the past and while you could learn a bit by reading it one could learn more by living life.

"…Beheaded no less then twenty four people in the town of Salem before the Ministry of Magic was able to put a stop to them….." Lily muttered underlining the sentence with her quill.

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Tap...tap…tap…

Lily jumped looking up from her book, Defense Against the Dark Arts now, and looked around the common room. For the past hour she had worked on homework listening to the excited gasps and boos that came with every passing moment from outside on the Quidditch pitch. During the entire hour she had been alone no one had come in or out of the common room.

Yet she had distinctly heard a noise as though someone was lurking about in the shadows. Glancing around Lily decided to move herself a little closer to the fire. Although it was a warm day she could not quite shake the chilly feeling that had settled into her bones that morning.

Shoving the noise from her mind she returned to reading, her eyes skimming the page of infamous vampires until she found her place once more. "Valid the Impaler was the most well documented case of vampirism that muggles have recorded. Although stories of him dying have been falsified so as to reduce him to merely a tale in muggle society, Valid lives on under ministry surveillance…."

Tap….tap…tap

Lily jumped again, this time dropping her book onto the floor, her eyes searching around the room. Someone was coming down the stair from the boys dorm. She could just see the worn sole of a red trainer. Taking a deep breath, the Fat Lady would never let a non-Gryffindor inside, Lily bent over and picked up her book and settled back into her cushions.

She could not fathom who would have stayed inside on such a warm day. Although Lily herself had not wanted to face the disappointed faces of her classmates when they lost; she had expected the entire house to go cheer on their team. She'd silently suffer their disappointment later.

"Hullo, Evans." Lily sucked in a breath feeling as though someone had just sucker punched her in the chest.

Her eyes snapped up from her book, where she had been slowly thumbing through looking for her place, to the face of James Potter.

"Potter." She muttered back letting her gaze drop down to her book again. A clear dismissal. What in Merlin's beard was he doing here when all his mates where outside?!

"I saw no reason to go to the game," James said, interpreting the expression on Lily's face as a

question. "Since I can't play and all. So I had a bit of a lie in." He finished crossing the length of the common room and dropping down into the chair next to Lily. James nodded at the books and papers spread out in front of her. "Studying?"

"Yeah." Lily said, startled to find the object of her confused and distracted nature of the past few days so close.

I've had a lot on my mind. She thought, still thumbing through her book.

"Something distracting you?" James asked sympathetically.

"Yeah." Lily said, using the one word answer as a shield and her book as an excuse to avoid meeting James's eyes.

You keep swaggering irritatingly into my thoughts.

"Am I distracting you?" James asked grinning and leaning against the chair's arm towards her. "If you admit that I am, then you're utterly forgiven for getting me banned from this game."

"Nope." Lily said, quickly shooting him a pointed glare. It was a good one too if his slinking back into his seat was any indication.

Yes. Lily thought.

James's smile stretched even bigger across his face as though he had just been given back his favorite stuffed teddy bear from when he was a boy.

He probally sleeps with a teddy bear.

"I do not sleep with a teddy bear." James said both eyebrows shooting up into his hairline as he glared mockingly at Lily who laughed.

"Never said you did….but you know, if you're comfortable living in denial..." Lily said shrugging her shoulders and yawning. She had been exhausted a lot lately even feeling tired after doing very little.

"Peter is the one that does that," James said still sound huffy, "Not me!" Lily laughed, rolling her eyes and pointedly looking back down at her book.

With anyone else this would have worked perfectly to get them to go away. The subtle sign that she was trying to study and not looking to hold a long conversation. With James though, it only served to make him settle back in his chair, stretch his legs out in front of him, fold his hands on his stomach and look at her.

After several minutes of sitting in silence, which was broken only by the rustling of the pages, Lily groaned loudly and dropped her head into her hands. She shot James a glare through the curtain of her hair.

"Stop doing that." Lily ordered him.

"Doing what?" James asked innocently.

'Being charming,' Lily thought.

"Looking at me," Lily said, "It's distracting."

"Want to know why it's distracting?" James asked jumping quickly on the subject and grinning when Lily let out an exasperated sigh which was oddly followed by another large yawn.

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me." She said. She began collecting her books and setting them into a neat stack. If James planned on sticking around then there was no way she was going to get anymore studying accomplished than what she had already done.

"It is chemistry, you feel the magnetic pull we have together and it puts you on edge. You would feel better after a good snog." James said with conviction. Then he thought about it for a moment; "And a date."

Lily stared at him as though he had suddenly grown two heads.

"What? You know as well as I do that a good snog stimulates endorphins that help with happy feelings-"

"I would rather make out with the giant squid." Lily said standing up. She had to get away from him before she took him up on his offer and laid one on him like she meant it. "That will never happen." Lily added scooping up her books and hurrying towards the girls dorm.

"Whatever you say Lils. You know if you get too hot in your own bed, feel free to find mine, I know how to cool you off," James yelled scandalously after Lily's retreating back.

It was only after Lily had climbed in under her blankets for a nap that it hit her. She and James had had a full conversation without it ending with them screaming insults at each other. A strange feeling of warmth settled in her belly at that as she rolled over snuggling deeper into the bed. A smile stretched across her face. A smile that stayed with her all through her nap.

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Lily's week passed without anymore invitations from James to share his bed. After Alice had finished rolling in laughter about it she had helped Lily sit down and write out as many things from the list they could remember. Which was not much. Lily thought hard as she looked at their recalled list, only ten were written in Lily-neat script. Two of which James Potter had already done just that past weekend.

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

3) James Potter must never sing to Lily Evans in front of the whole school.

4) James Potter must never carry Lily Evans's school books for her.

5) James is not allowed to dance with Lily Evans in the rain.

6) James Potter is not allowed to watch the sunset with Lily Evans.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans's parents and ask their permission to date her.

8) James Potter must not introduce Lily Evans to his parents.

She could not image how mortifying #8 and #7 would be. Nor did she fancy being sung to by James in public. She had heard him singing once before and while Lily could admit to herself that James Potter was drop dead gorgeous, she couldn't help but think his singing voice probably sucked.

Lily shook her head shifting her bag to her other arm and grimacing at the harsh pain that was throbbing in her wounded hand. Although Madam Pomfrey had said she'd mostly healed the wound she had left it slightly open to allow any ill humors to drain and it was horribly painful. Lily doubted that Pomfrey meant for her to be in so much pain but Lily hated visiting the hospital wing even despite her aspirations to work at one some day.

Outside the castle rain poured down in buckets as if making up for the sunshine last Sunday. The grounds had turned muddy and swamp-like, wooden beams that had been laid to make tread-able path ways outside had been quickly swallowed up and classes out of doors had been canceled. Which meant that Lily found herself free for the rest of the afternoon.

No sooner had she settled in at her normal spot in the library than she was rising up again to follow the sound of raised voices. One of the voices she knew, and had known, since she had been five years old and had first found at she was different than her family.

Snape was standing in a back corner of the library, his back pressed up against the wall. He was turned towards her so Lily was able to see his face. He looked more pale than normal and she could see sweat sliding down his temple. His lips were twisted in a pronounced grimace, a mockery of a smile.

The young Mr. Malfoy was standing to his right with his typical smirk in place and his blond hair pulled back into a crisp ponytail. In his hands he was clutching a parchment.

Frowning, Lily stepped closer, she was utilizing a bookshelf with thick, dusty books to hide herself away.

"This will never work." Snape hissed throwing a glance to his left where someone was standing in half shadow. Squinting past the books, Lily could just make out the third figure's shoulder length black hair and expression. The cruel smirk on his face could have rivaled Sirius's own if he didn't look so evil.

"So what if it doesn't? At least we have a fun way to black mail them." Sirius's brother said, whom Lily thought was namedRegulus or something like that. Then he chuckled loudly as if he had said something really funny.

"We don't even know if this is true though!" Snape argued again, tentatively avoiding taking ahold of the parchment Lucius held out to him. Lily's frown deepened, she wondered what in Merlin's beard they were on about. None of what they were saying was making very much sense to her.

"True or not, no one wants their reputation smeared. Meaning that they will play right into our hands." Malfoy sneered. Everything he said was a sneer, she thought as she watched him shove the letter at Snape and give him a sour look before storming off. Probably to find his beau Narcissa Black or just as likely one of his other mistresses. Lily did not doubt he loved the his girlfriend but she did doubt his ability to be monogamous.

"Make sure you give it to him." Black hissed, looking for all the world like dog about to eat a kitten. Then he too stormed away and left Snape standing there alone.

Lily hesitated for just a moment, her heart thumping in her throat, before she slipped out from behind the shelf and approached Snape. It had been a while since she had seen him, in fact, she hadn't seen him since the last time James had humiliated him. "Hey Severus." Lily said, startled at the look he gave her.

He looked almost like a little boy caught in a naughty act by his mummy.

"Lily, hey." He said, quickly shoving the letter into his robes and grinning as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Lily wondered if she should mention that she had seen the scene that had played out moments ago. There was no point in pretending that she had no idea what had happened, she had stepped out from behind the shelves seconds after the second half of the Duo of Evil left.

"What were you doing with those guys?" Lily asked, deciding she might as well take a direct line of approach.

"Malfoy and Black?" Snape asked innocently, in a way that Lily did not buy at all.

"Yes." Lily said.

"Just a chat between house mates." Snape said dismissively.

"What did they give you?" She asked.

"A missing homework assignment of mine. Really Lily, what is with the third degree? You suddenly channeling Potter now?"

'Maybe Potter is right and you are just a Slytherin at heart.' Lily thought.

"No—"

"You think Potter is right?" Snape asked his lip turning up into a sneer.

Lily stared at him, there was no way he could know what she was thinking unless he had somehow figured out a way to read her mind. She doubted that he could- though he had changed a lot in the past year or two; maybe he had changed more then she thought.

"No," Lily said shaking her head, "I never said that. I just do not think it would be a very good idea for you to get involved with that lot is all." She decided to drop the subject. There was no way she wanted to get into another spat with Snape.

He was her best friend and had been since she was only five. She did not want to sever the already fragile link that they still had.

"Care for some help with your homework?" Lily offered, remembering all the times they had sat together, heads close, debating different assignments. Snape nodded just once before following her back to the table she had claimed earlier.

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Later, Lily sat in the common room, her homework finished but a feeling of unease hovering in the pit of her stomach. Her hands flashed back and forth with her latest knitting project and a frown tilted the corners of her mouth.

Snape had not changed, or at least he had not changed all that much. He looked older than before, his face more sallow and his hair more limp. If she wanted to be honest with herself she would have to say that Snape did not look like the Prince Charmings from any of her dreams or books she had read.

He had taken on more Slytherin-like qualities in the past few months then she had seen from him in the past few years. During their hour of studying he had gone on and on about the suspected rumors of a mighty wizard rising up and ruling over all of the muggle borns. He seemed to have forgotten about Lily being a muggle born when he was speaking so fervently.

Lily had never heard him so passionate about something. Except, of course, for his hatred of James Potter.

James.

Again he bloomed in her mind and took over her whole thought process, blocking everything else out. Her hands moved automatically along the stitches that she was knitting though she was not thinking about knitting at all. Her mind was hung up on the conversation she'd had with James last weekend.

It was almost like James was a drug that pushed every thought from her until all that was left was him.

James smiling about to kick off from the ground and start another winning match.

James grinning because he had just pulled off yet another full succession of pranks.

James sitting, slouched in a Gryffindor chair, a smile on his face as he beat Black at a game of chess.

As her knitting needles clicked together Lily let her mind continue to wander. It was not unusual for her to feel annoyed towards James Potter. Yet James was taking up most of her mind these past couple of days. It all started because he had gotten her list of things he was not allowed to do. Since then every second of every minute was consumed by James Potter. Not just the normal 'he is so annoying' either, but thoughts of kissing him or shoving him against any hard surface and having a full on snog with him, which was not something that she ever considered before.

Lily glanced down at her knitting, sighing when she realized she'd have to go back several stitches and pick up a couple she had dropped before knitting on.

Her left hand gave a horrible throb as she turned it up into another stitch. Lily hissed, dropping the afghan into her lap and clutching her hand.

Madam Pomfrey had warned her that her injury would still hurt for a few days. Though Lily doubted that she meant it would hurt so bad she'd want to burst into tears.

It didn't hurt enough most of the time for her to want to go back to the hospital wing, especially if a teacher had not sent her specifically. Ever since she had spent a night in the hospital as a little girl with a serious case of muggle chicken pox she had developed a sort of aversion to medical treatment. She did not, however, mind giving medical attention to someone else. It was a catch twenty two but from all she had been told not one person who was in the medical profession actually liked anything to do with receiving medical attention.

"Hey, Evans?"

Lily jumped, dropping her knitting onto the floor and blushing a deep red. James Potter was standing in front of her smiling, not smirking as he normally did around her, but really smiling.

He ran one hand through his hair before dropping it down to his side, looking tentatively at her.

Did he know I was thinking about snogging him senseless?

James raised an eyebrow at Lily as she bent down and picked up her knitting that had fallen to the floor.

"Hey Potter." She said trying to calm the blush in her face.

Why must he look so handsome?

"You think I'm handsome?" James asked smirking and the blush on Lily's face burned hotter.

"I never said that! What do you want Potter?" She asked while shoving her needles into her knitting and watching the stitches fly. Her tension was going to be way off because of her embarrassment but Lily could not help it. How had he known she thought he looked handsome? She knew for a fact that she had not said that out loud.

"I came to check on you." James said spinning and sitting in the chair next to her with a smirk replacing the smile he wore just a moment ago.

Lily felt herself rolling her eyes. "Check on me?"

He's nice when he is not being so cocky.

"Now you think I'm cocky?" He asked and his smirk grew even bigger. Lily rolled her eyes focusing on her knitting and not him.

"I never said that." Lily said rolling her eyes again.

Cocky git.

"You're not being very nice tonight Lily." James said, his smirk falling until he had a somewhat normal expression on his face making him look less cocky.

"Ouch," Lily muttered as another flash of pain ran up her left hand, "I am too being nice, you are just putting words into my mouth."

I did think those things though...

James raised an eyebrow. "So I'm making things up?" He asked clapping a hand to his heart, "I'm wounded!"

Lily rolled her eyes, ignoring him and looking at her knitting. How he knew what she was thinking, she had no idea but she planned on asking Remus as soon as she was able to find him.

"He's in the Great Hall." James said and Lily gave him a questioning look. "Remus, he's in the Great Hall eating dinner."

"Oh." Lily said looking at her watch, it was later then she had thought.

"Want an escort?" James asked wagging his eyebrows and Lily rolled her eyes at the innuendo.

"Sure but I think the giant squid is busy until next month." Lily started gathering up her knitting and tucking it into her bag. She ran it up stairs to the dorm and when she came back down James had disappeared.

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"Mind reading?" Remus asked when Lily was able to corner him alone just outside of the great hall away from James, Sirius and Peter.

"Yes." Lily said impatiently. She could not remember Remus being this dense.

"Dense? You think I'm being dense?" Remus asked chuckling at her and shaking his head. "There is something called Legilimency that allows someone to search the memories and layers of someone's mind."

"Does James know how to do that?"

Remus laughed loudly attracting several looks, including some from James and Sirius who began walking over. "No, Lily, definitely not." Remus said still laughing as Lily made a hasty exit to avoid Sirius and James who joined Remus.

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Rain fell hard and quick outside the windows of Hogwarts drumming its slick fingers on the glass panes.

Lily sat in a convenient window seat, one leg dangling as she waited for Potter to arrive for patrol. She had wrapped her throbbing hand in a wet handkerchief and then wrapped it in a dry one to take some of the burning out of her skin.

Stupid Potter, always late.

"Insulting me again Lily?" James asked as he popped up seemingly out of nowhere.

"I did not say anything Potter, stop reading my mind!" Lily snapped jumping down from her window seat and letting her gaze wander up and down his full height.

He was dressed in blue jeans, slightly ruined trainers and a black t-shirt that fit him perfectly.

Drool worthy again. Great.

James raised an eyebrow at her. "Drool worthy?"

"What?" Lily asked.

"You said I'm drool worthy." He smirked.

"I said no such thing." She huffed and folded her arms over her chest, glaring at him until he looked away trying to look subdued. As he turned his head away Lily could see the trace of another smirk across his lips.

"Let's just get our rounds over with shall we?" She asked already feeling a headache pounding away in her head and the still heady ache of pain in her hand.

"Alright then." He sounded as though it was a huge loss for him to be walking about school instead of standing and making senseless chit chat with her. "And I do not think this is senseless chit chat." James said grinning widely when Lily glared at him. She spun on her heel and stomped off down the hallway. From the light sound of footsteps she knew that James was following her.

Stupid, pompous James.

"Pompous?"

"I never said that!" Lily snapped walking faster. This whole idea of James knowing everything that was going on in her mind was driving her crazy! How the hell did he know what she was thinking? Merlin's balls it was annoying!

"Merlin's balls? Really Lily, I would think Merlin is a bit too old for you." James laughed from right beside her.

Her hand gave a sharp throb as she threw a glance over at him. "How do you know what I'm thinking!"

"Because you are saying what you are thinking." James said shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "Hand hurting?" He asked catching sight of the damp handkerchief that she had tied around it before coming down to wait for him.

None of your damn business.

"I hurt it in Herbology." Lily said shrugging her shoulders and yawning.

"With what?" James asked turning a corner and leaning against the wall.

Kiss him.

No, slap him.

James raised an eyebrow at her and Lily felt a blush rising over her face and she shoved her hair back from her face.

"I said that out loud again, didn't I?" Lily asked sighing in defeat and letting her hand fall down to her side. It really was hurting, a steady throb that was increasing with each passing second.

That was how most illness worked with her though, they built steadily until finally exploding out of nowhere into a tidal wave of pain. Her mother claimed that if she paid a little more attention to herself instead of all those around her she would not get so sick, but there was not enough time to pay so much attention to herself. She had more important things to do.

School took up most of her day, as did her head duties and then studying. She did not have time to think about feeling unwell until it knocked her flat on her back. Not that being on her back with James around would be so bad.

She did not need to be skipping down this train of thought, especially since James was looking at her in particular interest.

Lily blushed, turning down the next right corridor and nodding hello to the Ravenclaw prefects that passed by.

James followed along next to her silently. Lily stared at the floor and refused to look up at him. Even so, she could feel his eyes on her as if she was a interesting insect crawling on his skin.

"I thought you looked pale." James commented after they had walked for some minutes in silence.

"Um, what?" Lily asked, pulled out of thinking about her upcoming assignments and pushing back more thoughts of James that kept trying to invade her mind.

"Pale, you look pale," James said again, "Did you have Madam Pomfrey look at your hand after the blood sucker bit you?"

"Yes." Lily said as she shot him a sharp look.

She was slightly miffed at the fact James thought she was a total buffoon.

"I never said you where a buffoon, Lily, you are putting words into my mouth." James said.

"And you, you are reading my mind! How in Merlin's name are you doing that?" Lily asked her temper flaring.

"I am not reading your mind, Lils, you are saying everything out loud." James said patiently as if talking to a rather slow student. Lily huffed folding her arms and James took a deep breath, rightly guessing that one of their epic fights was on the horizon.

"Lily," He said in a gentler tone as if he was addressing an animal that might bolt at any time if he wasn't very careful. "You look pale and I bet if I took that handkerchief off of your hand the wound would look infected. You should go and have Madam Pomfrey take a look at it again before it gets worse." For a moment Lily almost agreed.

"You know, before you tell Professor Dumbledore you'd like to tie him to his desk-OW!" James cried and then dodged when Lily attempted to smack him hard round the face with the back of her hand again.

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The problem was though; James was right. By the next morning Lily's hand was a strange green color and the wound had a shiny scab over it. Rising from bed and tossing her blankets aside Lily quickly wrapped it once again in a soaked handkerchief and then a dry one to sooth the burning sensation of her flesh.

Sadly the problem with her hand did not stop with the pain that during the following few days brought tears to her eyes. It seemed that whatever was in blood sucker venom was making her blurt out whatever it was that was on her mind at the precise moment and time she thought it.

Which was a problem in and of itself but became more so when she had asked Malfoy what kind of hair gel he used completely unintentionally.

Lily had been sitting in the library again looking through a potions research book when Malfoy had passed by her table with a rather large hicky on his neck and his shirt still half unbuttoned. The only part of him that was not messed up was his hair which still lay flat along his head and pulled back into a tight pony tail.

"What kind of hair gel are you using?" The words had slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Malfoy had spun on the spot, his eyes slanting into an evil glare at her and Lily felt herself slip down into her seat.

"Sorry." She said meekly and Malfoy laughed at her.

"Watch yourself muggle born, you won't last long in the new world order." Malfoy leaned closer towards her across the table, putting his nose right in front of her face.

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Lily sighed under her breath as she sat slouched in a window seat on the third floor before dinner that same night. Her hand was throbbing as it lay against her stomach while she looked out across the lawn. She had left class earlier after finally deciding that seeing Madam Pomfrey would be in her best interest.

Her exchange with Malfoy not withstanding, her hand was starting to hurt so much that she was not able to concentrate on what was going on.

Blurting out everything that she was thinking of around James was just icing on the cake, his cake.

"You okay Lils?" James asked and Lily cursed in her head.

"You sound like a muggle sailor speaking like that," James chuckled slightly and came to stand in front of her.

"I did not curse out loud." Lily said and then rolled her eyes thinking about how silly she sounded because apparently her own thoughts were not her own at the moment.

James gave her a smirk leaning against the wall across from her.

Cocky git. How does he make that look so comfortable?

"Practice," James said and Lily rolled her eyes, "You know what you should do?" James asked tapping his chin as though he was thinking about it.

"I am sure you will tell me." Lily responded, flipping the handkerchief on her hand towards the cooler side. Her hand gave a harsh throb as she did so and James was quiet. Lily glanced up.

He was looking at her with a worried look, his gaze on her hand that she was fiddling with.

"You should have that looked at." James said and Lily frowned at him.

Since when did James sound so concerned instead of cocky?

"I do care about you Lily," James said, "Even if you are not willing to admit that I do." He added and for the first time Lily could hear how much her reaction towards him hurt.

Maybe he was not just a guy with a head of black hair and only air inside.

James looked over at her and Lily blushed looking down. In the back of her mind Lily was wondering if what she was thinking had been blurted out loud.

Did James know she had always found him impossible, arrogant, and full of himself? Now she was seeing a different side of him.

The fact that she had for the past six years at Hogwarts insulted him and shot him down in all his attempts with, sometimes, all the coldness she could muster made this experience especially difficult for her.

The truth that he did care about her was clear.

Especially clear since he had been chasing after her since the very first time they met on the Hogwarts train.

James grinned and Lily blushed.

Of course she was still puking out all the words that came to her mind whenever they popped in.

Without really thinking about it Lily leaned her head back against the wall behind her, suddenly feeling a lot more tired than she had a few minutes before.

Maybe James was right and she should have this wound looked at, although she had promised Snape to meet him in the library for a chat and then to meet Remus and a couple of first years for studying in the common room. She really did not have time right now for a pit stop at the hospital wing.

"Lils be smart about this. You very clearly do not feel good." James said taking in her pale skin and more pale lips with a burgeoning line of white around them.

"I feel fine." Lily muttered even though as she said it she knew that it was a plain lie. She felt just rotten, as though someone was stabbing pins through her hand, and her skin felt tight and stretched over her bones.

James rolled his eyes.

"Right, and I'm the Easter bunny." He said and Lily snorted.

"I have not believed in the Easter Bunny since I was twelve," Lily grumbled, "I have to go meet Snape, I am already going to be late since I am late for lunch." She watched a flicker of hatred cross his face at the mention of Snape before he rolled his eyes.

"Right then, want to walk a straight line down to the Great Hall? Because I am willing to bet the moment you stand up you are going to go sideways." James said pointedly. "You were walking strange this morning, even Sirius noticed it."

"Sirius noticed me?" Lily asked raising a eyebrow. It was not that she did not get along with Sirius, she just did not have much day to day interaction with him. Plus they were about as opposite as a cat and a lobster were.

Sirius was Mr. Play Boy and had a new girl every few days. He was breaking as many hearts in Hogwarts as was possible before he graduated.

"Not really, the girls all want a date with Black, he makes them no promises." James said shrugging his shoulder and Lily glared at him.

Right, so they just wanted to claim to have taken a roll with Black.

James looked at her with an amused look on his face.

"You want bragging rights?" James asked getting a glint in his eyes, one that lily doubted he would even follow through on if she said yes to what came out of his mouth next. He looked too concerned about her.

"I know where a broom cupboard is, being with Potter….that'll earn you more bragging rights than Black….Ow." He muttered, though Lily doubted she had hit him very hard. Her hand had barely made a slight thwack as it landed against his chest.

"You really must feel awful Lils because that did not hurt even half as much as it did the last time you let me have it." James said chuckling, but there was a deep look of concern on his face.

Where had she been and how had she missed that James was actually a decent human being?

James chuckled at that.

"Too busy telling me to bug off. Now come on, be a good girl and go to see Madam Pomfrey." Lily folded her hands.

Or what?

"No." She said fatly.

"Or what?" James asked as though Lily had not said no when she had. James stepped forward, Lily had settled back into the window seat after slapping him, he swept one arm around her shoulders and another beneath her knees and plucked her up into his arms.

"Put. Me. Down." Lily growled struggling against his hold and slapping his chest a few times with her good hand.

James sighed and Lily could feel the rush of air sweeping out of his lungs and over her hair.

"Quit whinging." He said but Lily could hear the amusement in his voice.

"I am not whinging! Put me down! This is not caveman times, you cannot just manhandle women!" Lily snapped.

Despite her protests, Lily snuggled her head against his chest and listened to the mellow beat of his heart as they moved on down the hallway.

His smell was a deeply masculine scent that tickled her nose and calmed her nerves even as she still weakly struggled to get down.

He smelled good.

James chuckled shifting her slightly so her head rested against his shoulder near his neck.

Lily sighed, she had just found her new favorite place to be. Not that she was going to tell James that.

James laughed again and Lily scowled.

Stupid James.

"Stupid?" James asked.

She grumbled under her breath wishing that her thoughts could be just her own and that James would stop listening in on them.

However, he was nice and comfy to lean up against and he had a very nice chest. The space between his shoulder and neck was soft and warm and she wiggled her head into it. She discovered that his hair was just long enough that it tickled her face with little wisps of hair.

If she wasn't feeling so awful, Lily would have giggled at the feel of his hair against her face as she breathed in his scent deeply.

Yes, he really did smell good.

"Does he really Ms. Evans?" Dumbledore asked, surprising Lily so that she blushed and hid her face back against James's shoulder.

Fuck.

"Ms. Evans!" Professor Minerva McGonagall admonished and Lily all but curled into a tight ball in James arms. Now there were multiple witnesses to her embarrassment.

Damn my life.

"Ms. Evans!" McGonagall said again, her voice sharper than normal.

McGonagall was young for a teacher, twenty six or twenty seven, and already she was a stick in the mud. If she would just get laid maybe she would't be such an uptight brat!

"Lily….be quiet!" James whispered against her head and Lily squeaked, cowering harder against his shoulder and squeezing her eyes shut.

She was screwed.

Someone laughed. Lily did not dare to lift her head to see if it was James, Dumbledore or McGonagall.

"Sorry Professors," James intervened, "she was bit by a blood sucker in Herbology a few days ago and is not feeling so well at the moment." He explained.

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur.

"Kitties?" Professor McGonagall asked, seeming to have recovered her composure. Maybe she was just finding this all amusing. "Blood sucker venom, that does explain it then, did you not see

Madam Pomfrey when you were first bit?"

"Yes Professor, she did, but I think a piece of the stinger got stuck." James explained, shocking Lily and the Professors for a moment.

James was being... smart?

"Thanks Lils…" James grumbled and Lily sighed still refusing to look up from her little hidey-hole against his shoulder.

McGonagall coughed and Lily peeked out from where she was hiding. From McGonagall's expression Lily could tell that she was highly amused, although she would not admit it under pain of death, Lily was sure.

"Best get her off to Madam Pomfrey then." Dumbledore said and Lily could see a twinkle in his eye indicating his own amusement.

I would rather be studying.

"Your commitment to studying is refreshing Ms. Evans but your health is just as important. Therefore you should go along with Mr. Potter and see Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore said and then they were moving again.

Lily was rocking gently in James's arms, lulled into a deep sleep. Her mind fell down into a deep fog and she was floating.

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#8 James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

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(Sirius: Poor sick Lily.)

(Arya: I agree. Luckly she has James about to help make her feel better huh?)

(Sirius: Guys always make everything better.)

(Arya: Erm. Right. know some of you are probally wondering why I am rewriting my story. , the reason I am fixing this story up is because I think I can make it better. So now I have all my beta and my good friend who was my beta on bored and giving me idea's who to fix this story up.)

(Sirius: In other words, you are just far to picky and had to go and mes with it right?)

(Arya: Shut-up Black. Now-)

(Sirius: Please review kind people and let us know what you think!)

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1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

#8 James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.


	3. Chapter 3 Dancing in the Rain

Operation Get My Lily has been taken down and revised. This is the third chapter of the revised story. I know a lot of you loved the old story but please give this one a chance and let me know what you think, pretty please? Also, if you have something James Potter should not do, drop a line! For now…Enjoy-

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling. I am just playing with her wonderful characters who still hold my heart. What a nerd I am—in the future people will say, you are such a Potter Head, instead of you are such a Trekkie!

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Chapter Three

Dancing in the Rain

"No, he must have known you would always want to come back." – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." –Oscar Wilde

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Moonlight streamed in through the high windows of the hospital wing. A biting cold snuck in through cracks of the windows fighting against the warmth of the fire which crackled merrily in the hearth. Moon beams gleamed upon the pale face of Lily Evans, throwing the contours of her mouth and nose into sharp relief. One small hand cupped the blankets that she was laying under while the other clanged to the satin stag that had been tucked under her blankets with her.

A neat gauze band aid wrapped around her hand and underneath them the wound throbbed painfully.

Now that the blood sucker venom was finally leaving her system Lily was able to think things more clearly and with sharper focus as she lay, bored, in the hospital wing. Next to her on the bed side table a stack of homework assignments sat, almost all finished, as well as her knitting bag which over flowed with yarn and her bamboo knitting needles.

Earlier in the day she had spent hours knitting, concentrating on the pattern and blocking all other thoughts from her mind. They where just to confusing for her to try and sort out at the time. Now though, as night stretched its inky black cloak about the Hogwarts grounds and the torchlight in the hospital wing had been dimmed, Lily could not find anything to distract her mind.

The wing's door swished open and Lily frowned pushing herself up in bed and peering around her privacy curtains. Her eyes landed on Sirius Black. His shaggy hair fell around his face as his eyes swept about the room before landing on her privacy curtains that hid her bed from easy view.

Feeling like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar Lily dropped down onto her bed, pretending not to notice that Black had entered. The soles of his shoes squeaked lightly against the floor as he walked across the solid stone.

"You awake Red?" Black asked. Lily could see his shoes just underneath the curtains that provided her with solitude.

"Erm... yeah." Lily said shoving the satin stag that Alice had brought down for her underneath her covers.

"What is it?" She asked watching as Black stepped through the curtains and sat down in the whicker chair that was by her bed.

"Just thought I would come say hullo." Sirius said shrugging his shoulders

Lily snapped her mouth shut which had fallen open at Black's words. They had been going to school together for years yet they had never had anything more than a few passing words between them.

The words that Black had said to James floated into her mind as clear as if he was saying them to her face now.

"Why do you even care what happens to Evans?"

The words had not been too hurtful and they had been uttered off handedly. It did not effect the fact she and Black had never liked each other. They had an unspoken truce for Remus's benefit but Lily could not help but wonder what would've happened if that truce did not exist.

They would probably end up either snogging each other in some corner or they would duel till the death because they were such polar opposites.

"No offense Black but you do not like me. Why would you come and visit me?" Lily asked pulling her knitting out and starting on it to keep her hands busy.

Sirius glanced at the needles that were flashing as they wrapped stitches speedily along each row and crosse his legs with a grimace.

"I know that."

Lily frowned. He sounded like just like James when they fought. He was taking the easy route.

"If you know that why are you here?" She said, irritated.

Sirius gave her a cross look as though he had not wanted her to ask that question, as though he expected her to be asleep when he came. Which, come to think of it, was probably exactly why he had come so late because he did not want to have this discussion. The fact that Lily was awake tossed hippogriff dung in his plans.

"Because, Red, for some reason that is unknown to me, James likes you." Sirius said and Lily looked at him blankly.

"That's not an answer." Lily pointed out as Black gave her a you-are-one-of-the-densest-girls-I-have-ever-met look.

"James is my best mate Red. If I want to keep my best mate, who is more like family to me than my own family, it stands to reason that I try to get to know the girl that he has been in love with since he set eyes on her that first day on the Hogwarts Express. I have no idea what is going to happen with James and you but I may as well extend the olive branch, as Remus would say." Sirius grumbled this all out as quickly as he possibly could.

"Oh." Lily said not sure what else to say. If Potter's best friend was trying to be friendly to her did that mean she and Potter were on their way to becoming something more? Or was she over thinking it and Sirius really was just doing what he said he was doing and he was trying to befriend the girl that James had liked since first year.

In the back of her mind she wondered if any of this would be happening if James had not liked her the way he liked her. Lily doubted that she would feel this flustered at one of his best mates sitting next to her sick bed chattering about wanting to be her "friend" because his best friend "wanted" her.

"So you want to be friends?" Lily asked just to clarify.

"Yeah." Black said.

"Okay then." Lily agreed, half wondering if she should stick her hand out and shake his.

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Sunlight shone through the high windows, painting golden streaks against Lily's closed eyelids.

Three days had passed since James had carried her to the infirmary and two days since she had spoken with Sirius and they had settled into their new friendship.

Lily laid in bed, curled halfway in on herself, a hand resting on top of the soft stag head that was leaning against her breast.

Silence hung about the room broken only by the whispering sound of the fire crackling.

Lily moved slightly and the whisper of sheets against her legs in the silent room caused her to jump slightly in her restless state.

"If I could have just one wish."

Lily started, her eyes opening; the little satin stag tumbling down onto her lap as she looked about herself. The hospital wing was still empty and the only occupant was her laying in her bed.

Yet the voice had been cooing right by her ear, soft and masculine like that of a man speaking to his lover.

"Dreaming... I was dreaming it." Lily told herself, soothed somewhat by the sound of her own voice as she settled back down onto her pillows.

She could not afford to let her dreams bother her. If she appeared to be in an excitable state Madam Pomfrey wouldn't release her until she calmed.

Reaching out Lily picked the white stag back up and snuggled it against her face, shutting her eyes again.

"I would wish to wake up everyday

to the sound of your breath on my neck,

the warmth of your lips on my cheek,

the touch of your fingers on my skin."

Lily bolted upright again, holding her stag at arms length and glaring at the thing. She had felt the mouth move against her skin. The glassy beaded eyes which had stared at her completely lifeless moments before had suddenly become a stunning shade of hazel. The exact shade of James's eyes if Lily was being honest with herself, which she wasn't.

"And the feel of your heart beating with mine...

Knowing that I could never find that feeling

with anyone other than you."

The mouth of the stag opened and shut in an imitation of speech. Lily squealed, throwing a nervous glance at Madam Pomfrey's door before tossing the stupid animal away from her. The thing should not be talking! It was not natural! Stuffed animals were just that; stuffed animals! They were used to snuggle and sleep with they weren't meant to come alive and start quoting poetry in a deep, sexy male voice!

"Miss Evans is everything okay?" Madam Pomfrey appeared in the doorway. Lily noticed that her robes had been pulled on backwards with a sleeve turned up and the other down.

"Chipper!" Lily said forcing a smile despite her racing heart. A voice called out behind the half open office door and Pomfrey blushed, gave her a formal nod and disappeared back into her office.

Feeling rather unsettled Lily jumped up from bed padding bare footed to the little stag and bending down to pick it up. She held it with two fingers as though it was a blood sucker that might try to kill her at any moment.

"I never really knew you

You were just another friend

But when I got to know you

I let my heart unbend."

Lily bit down hard on her hand to keep another startled scream from escaping her throat. In hindsight it was not the greatest of ideas as it was the same hand the blood sucker had bitten just a few weeks ago. Shaking off the pain, or trying to, Lily half ran back to her bedside ignoring the stag which was still quoting poetry at her. Picking up her knitting bag she dumped the projects she was working on out onto the covers and scooped the stag into the bag before shoveling yarn and patches for her afghan back inside to cover it.

Taking her knitting bag and placing it at the foot of her bed, Lily clambered shakily back in and pulled the blankets up before settling back.

Silence. It descended on her ears like a blessed relief after a long day in the potions room. The deep male voice replayed again and again in her mind setting her heart racing and her blood blazing through her veins.

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The Great Hall echoed like thunder, the noise level rising and falling more rapidly then a eagle could dive and catch a fish when Lily walked in. She scanned the hall for a moment before settling next to Alice near the middle of the Gryffindor table.

The distinct smell of cologne hovered around Alice as though she had bathed in it. Lily gave her a suspicious look which made her friend blush before she began shoveling food into her mouth.

"Finally escaped from Madam Pomfrey and her hawk eyes huh?" Alice asked trying to sound as though she was not blushing crimson red and failing utterly.

"Yeah, remind me to tell you what happened with her later." Lily said thinking about the backwards robes and the male voice coming from the office behind her.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"Not now, any idea where James is?" Lily asked looking up and down the great hall once more to make sure she had not missed him. James was not present, however Remus, Sirius, and Peter were sitting on the opposite end from where Lily was. Sirius glanced in her direction giving her a curt little nod like she imagined cowboys used to do.

Lily shook her mind to clear it, she so did not need to be thinking of Sirius on a horse in a cowboy outfit.

"James? No, he was in here earlier I think but he left before I had finished pouring my pumpkin juice. Why?"

"Because I want to talk to him about the bloody stag he gave me-"

"Stag? I thought he gave you flowers and chocolate…?"

"He did," Lily said already standing up. "But he gave me that stag too and the blasted thing almost gave me a fit!" She waved goodbye and hurried out of the hall.

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Outside rain was pouring down in buckets dousing everything in sight. Muttering curses under her breath Lily made her way outside and towards the Great Lake.

After an hour of searching indoors without much luck, Lily had finally given up and asked Remus where his bloody friend was. Of course, James being James, he could not be settled in front of a warm fire place he had to be outside in the blasted storm!

Squinting through the rain Lily could just make him out standing on the lake shore his normally unruly hair clinging to his head and dripping into his face.

"You are going to catch your death out here if you're not careful." Lily shouted over the pounding rain as she came up behind him.

James turned and bits of water flipped off his hair as he moved. "Oh. Lily, Hi." He spoke as if each word was being dragged out of him.

Lily was taken aback. Normally James was thrilled to see her but this time he almost seemed as though he wanted her to go away. Not that Lily could blame him, she hadn't been the most friendly of people to him lately nor ever if she thought about it.

"Something wrong Pot-erm, James?" She hoped using his name might put him in a slightly happier mood even if he did not feel like sharing.

"My parents are aurors." James said turning back to look out at the Great Lake.

"Uhm." Lily said stepping up beside him. She had known that James's parents had been in the wizarding government somehow but why that was the reason for him standing outside in a torrential rainstorm was beyond Lily's power to riddle out.

"I'm sorry?" She phrased it like a question.

James sighed. "You've been in the hospital wing so you missed the headlines yesterday. Unfortunately, it's all anyone can talk about. Four aurors on an undercover mission went missing a few days back." James finally looked at Lily instead of the great, black lake stretched out before them. "Two of them were my parents."

Lily searched her mind trying to bring up the headline that James was talking about. He was right though, she had not read the Daily Prophet in days, not since being forced to stay at the hospital wing. All the words of comfort that popped into her mind seemed to fall short of what she felt she should say.

This had to be one of the main fears of someone who had auror parents. That someday the news would reach them that their parents had fallen. It was much like a soldier's family waiting for their loved ones to come home only to have a guy show up in full uniform to tell them that they were never coming home.

"If your parents are anything like you….." Lily said feeling the words tugged from her mouth; "Then they'll turn up." She thought what she was saying would be true but she hoped James didn't notice the fact she hadn't mentioned whether they'd be alive or not.

"Yeah." James said noncommittally, looking back at the great lake.

Rain water had soaked through her school uniform in a matter of moments and goosebumps had since erupted on her skin causing her to shiver as they stood in the storm.

Questions Lily had wanted to ask James seemed to have vanished into thin air. She had never seen him show any kind of weakness. He had always seemed calm and in charge.

"Thanks Lils." James swiped his wet hair back out of his face causing it to slick back against his head.

Lily smiled as she noticed a flicker of emotion in James's eyes vanishing quickly.

"You know I did come down here to yell at you. You just distracted me by acting like a normal human being." Lily said as she nudged his shoulder with hers.

"Yell at me?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. "But I've been good…..mostly." He wrinkled his nose at her. Something that Lily had observed that he did when he was trying to be honest.

She frowned, wondering what kind of prank he could have planned. He couldn't be that upset about his family if he was plotting another prank. Or maybe he had been planning this prank before he heard what happened to his parents.

"Just what prank where you-" Lily trailed off as her a bright white light appeared on the other side of the great lake and stood still catching her attention. "Oh! Look how beautiful." She pointed at the spot that seemed to glow, unaffected by the rain, for James to see.

"That's a unicorn Lils." James said looking at her. "Have you never seen a unicorn before?"

"No..." Lily said breathlessly, trying to see more closely the white image that stood across from them.

"But Professor Dunzen showed them to us in DADA last term." James remembered sounding amazed. "Oh, you were sick that day." He grinned widely, suddenly grabbing Lily's hand and tugging her arm.

"Uhm, James where are we going?" Lily asked. He was pulling her so hard she needed to either run along with him or she'd find herself being pulled along in the mud.

"You'll see!" He said tugging her hand more impatiently.

Lily frowned, trotting along to keep up as he pulled her towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest and then under the cover of trees.

"James, were not suppose to be in here." She said feeling like a broken record. How many times in the past six years had she been telling James that he should not be breaking rules.

"This will be worth it." He promised still pulling her forward.

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Under the cover of the trees the rain fell less thickly; like a fine mist, clinging to her soaked hair and clothes. It felt gentle and cool, tracing loving fingers against their cool skin before falling down to the leaf littered ground.

As they moved further into the woods the trees grew thicker creating a large canopy and almost completely blocking out the rain. The ground where they walked crunched lightly underneath their feet. Lily now walked beside James who had still not let go of her hand.

"So we don't get separated." James had said though Lily suspected it was more that James enjoyed holding her hand.

She could not deny that his hand clasped tightly in hers felt nice. She could feel the calluses on his skin which felt rough against her own soft skin. Despite the cold his hand was still warm as though he had been standing in front of the fire and had just turned away. If not for their dripping wet clothes Lily would have believed he'd just left the hearth.

Inevitably there were spaces between the tree cover that allowed the water to drip down and a glimpse of the black clouds to peek through. From the tips of both their wands light glittered showing them the way. Once in a while James would glance sideways, tugging on Lily's hand whenever she tried to slow and look back.

The silence of the forest was deafening, broken only by drip of rain on leaves high above, the crunching of leaves beneath their feet, and their heavy breathing.

"James." Lily spoke, softly breaking the silence around them. It felt as though they had been walking for hours though it had only been twenty minutes at the most.

James shook his head and put his finger against his lips. He grinned and pulled Lily still deeper into the woods.

Half-remembered plots from old thriller books swam into her mind. Victims being lured into the woods and then killed far from the observing eye. Was James bringing her out here to murder her? Was he planning to dispose of her body deep in the woods?

Lily racked her brain wondering if there had been any students who had disappeared mysteriously in their time at Hogwarts and came up blank. Her imagination was running away with her again.

From the corner of her eye she glanced over at James and felt her worries fall away. James wouldn't do something as horrid as that. He had spent his whole life training to follow in his father footsteps. He was a protecter not a cold blooded murderer. Plus there were feelings here, his feelings for her. She doubted he'd ax the girl he'd been chasing after the past six and a half years.

The murmur of running water floated to them through the woods causing Lily to wonder if they were near a brook or a stream. She didn't know if the Great Lake was fed from an underground spring or if it was fed by rivers running down through the forest. Whenever she looked at the lake it seemed to be just a great big hole in the ground which seemed to reason that it came from underground springs. Now she was not so sure.

Branches separated around them suddenly and they found themselves standing in a large clearing. Rain fell heavily here, turning the ground into mud.

"James, what are we doing here?" Lily asked biting her lip to keep her teeth from chattering together.

"Just wait, it will be worth it, I promise." James said giving her hand a hard squeeze before he let go and leaned back against a tree. He made doing it look like it was the most comfortable thing in the world but from personal experience Lily knew that it was not all that cozy.

With an exaggerated wrist movement James extinguished his wand before tucking it inside his robes. Lily hesitated for a moment before following suit.

Rain water continued to fall, icy cold on her head which caused her to start shivering all over again. She must have dried slightly as they made their way through the tree covered forest.

Looking at the ground, Lily watched the mud water creep up over the edge of her shoe and soak her white socks. She frowned slightly, she had hoped to be somewhat dry when they went back to school but that hope was now dashed.

A slight rustling near the edge of the clearing caused Lily to look up. She saw something pure white emerge from the trees and felt her breath catch. More and more unicorns appeared, walking around the edge of the clearing before finding comfortable places to lay down.

Mud coated their glossy coats as they settled onto the ground, some of them laying against each other and settling for sleep.

"Wow... James this is amazing." She whispered, half wondering what would happen if she reached out to pet one of them. She thought about it but it didn't seem like the greatest of ideas as their horns looked far too sharp.

"Yeah, this is one of my favorite places to come. Last time Sirius ended up spooking them by-" He trailed off, blushing.

"Being himself?" Lily finished, wondering what he had been going to say. Whatever it was he seemed to be very reluctant to say it.

"Yeah, that." He said grinning and pushing off from the tree trunk. Somewhere nearby thunder boomed loudly, causing Lily to jump and James to look around. "I guess the weather is worse than the prophet said it was going to be. We should head back to school." He turned from the clearing and held his hand out towards Lily. "Don't worry my dear. I'll bring you back here again."

"I am not your 'dear', just like I am not Sirius's 'Red'." Lily grumbled. Though she did take James's offered hand.

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Rain still showered the Hogwarts grounds, blocking out the sun with black stormy rain clouds. Outside the ground had turned into muddy pools that tried to swallow up students' shoes whenever they ventured outside.

It seemed as though winter had finally arrived bringing with it a flurry of rain and thunder storms. During breakfast the normal rumble of voices was drowned out by the constantly hammering rain and wind that beat loudly against the castle stones.

Lily hummed softly as she walked along the hallways to and from her classes. The conversations she'd had with James and Sirius replaying in her mind again and again. She could not help but smile softly whenever she thought about James dragging her off to see unicorns. As though it had been the most natural thing in the world to do.

Just being himself he had made one of her dreams come true. Lily could not help but wonder if James knew it was one of her dreams to see a glory of unicorns. Had she put it on her list?

"You're rather happy today." Alice commented as they walked from Charms to Transfiguration, their last class of the day.

Lily laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "I like the rain."

"No you don't. You hate the rain. You muck about like a sad puppy every winter until the sun comes back in spring." Alice insisted as they claimed their usual seats at the front of the room.

"Well I do like the snow." Lily pointed out causing Alice to laugh and shake her head.

"But it's pouring rain, not snowing." Alice said. "So the weather can not account for your good mood." Alice glanced up as James, Sirius and Remus trouped in with Peter following right behind them.

Lily just laughed, looking down at the book in front of her. "Maybe I'm just happy to be out of the hospital wing." She said shrugging her shoulders and watching as Mcgonagall strolled in. Alice shot her a suspicious look before flipping her book open and settling in to class-mode.

Lily grinned, glad to have diverted Alice's attention away from her mood. She had not had the chance to tell her friend what had happened the night before in the clearing. Alice had not been in the common room when she had come in for the night and Lily had already been asleep when Alice had come up for bed.

It was sweet what James had done and what James was doing. This was a side of him that Lily had never seen before and she found that she was quite enjoying it.

Yet if she did say that she would go out with him would all of this change? Would he go back to being a cocky git or was that all she ever saw because she only ever focused on his bad attributes?

Looking up again, Lily glanced over at James; he was leaning back in his chair as he lazily attempted to transfigure a mouse into a tea cup.

Sirius was using a different approach which seemed to be just jabbing the mouse with his wand tip while he talked in a loud voice to Hester Adams a fellow seventh year.

Looking back at her own mouse Lily waved her wand and grinned as it shifted from a mouse into a pretty little tea cup.

"Bye." Lily called, watching as Alice lunged out of the class room the moment the bell rang. Off to meet her current boy Frank in some forgotten passage way.

Standing up, Lily made her own way out into the hallway, already organizing what homework she wanted to work on before dinner.

The rain still fell and Lily had no hope of it stopping. According to the prophet it would not stop until at least next week. It was like a soft lullaby rocking them all on a gentle sea without the uncertainty of being out on the ocean.

"Hey Lily?" Lily turned giving James a half smile as he came up along side her.

"Whats up Potter?" She asked, still swaying unconsciously to the sound of the rain, unable to hold still.

"Well…." He rubbed the back of his neck and before messing his hair up again, "I was hoping you wouldn't mind helping me with that tea cup thing? I seem to be…erm..horrid at it?"

Lily could not help but wonder if this was part of his "plan" to get her to go out with him. He just looked so cute standing there running his fingers through his hair as he eagerly waiting for Lily's answer. How could she say no to that?

"Sure, I guess I can. How about after dinner tonight?" Lily asked.

"Thank you!" James said, giving her one of his killer grins.

Lily laughed and shook her head. His enthusiasm paralleled that of a little kid receiving a giant piece of candy.

His eyes followed her swaying and he raised an eyebrow sardonically. Lily blushed bright, folding her arms and attempting to hold still. It was easier thought of than done as the rain was melodic and she felt so peaceful that she started to move unconsciously. Amazingly it was like listening to a romantic love song and she wondered how it could be so when outside the storm was a raging tempest.

James reached out with an evil glint in his eye and pulling her forward he wrapped his arms around her and began to sway with her.

Fire leapt into her cheeks, burning brightly, but Lily could not force herself to move from his grasp even if she had wanted to. James held her ever so tightly as they danced around the hall. One of her hands fluttered against his shoulder half pushing him away half drawing him closer.

He felt safe, like a shelter in the storm as the rain howled outside drowning out the normal din of Hogwarts' halls. A few students laughed as they passed by, shaking their heads at what they assumed was typical Potter antics. Lily could see them out of the corners of her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to care and her blushing spread over her arms, neck, chest and face. Outside thunder boomed. James dipped her backwards bringing their impromptu dance to an end.

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"So spill!" Alice said once they had both settled into bed, their blankets pulled up to their chins. Lily laughed shaking her head and playing innocent.

"What do you mean?" She asked holding her stag against her chest. After dancing with James in the hallway she had gone and found it at the bottom of her knitting bag and had brought it into bed with her.

"What is going on with you and James!" Alice cried sitting up in her bed and tucking the blankets tighter around her to fend off the winter cold that crept through the castle walls.

Lily laughed rolling onto her side and putting a hand against her face so she was looking up at Alice.

"Well, I don't know what's going on with me and James but he's been ever so sweet towards me lately. It's a whole different side of him that I never new existed…or bothered to see." Lily added seeing the look Alice was giving her.

Lily launched into a complete recount of the things James had been doing, starting with marking things off of her list to taking her to the hospital wing to watching the unicorns and the spontaneous dancing that they had done just earlier that afternoon.

"Well he has liked you since first year and he does seem to have wizened up a bit since sixth year ended." Alice observed dropping back down onto the pillows of her bed.

"I agree with you." Lily said fiddling with the deer's silky hooves.

"But?" Alice asked gently, trying to prompt the words that Lily was not letting slip. Lily sighed letting her own head fall back down onto the pillow and holding her stag a little closer.

"What if I do go out with him and he turns back into this cocky jerk?" Lily asked tugging her blankets around until they were wrinkled.

"Oh Lils, I don't think that's going to happen." Alice said. "James is….Well I can't claim to be a James Potter expert but he would not treat a lady so horridly. He'll always be a cocky git, sure, but for some reason that cockiness is curbed whenever you're around. You two compliment each other." Alice yanked her own blankets up.

The dorm room was bloody cold, the sort of icy cold that came from a true winter storm that settled in and refused to go.

"You think?" Lily asked yawning.

"Yeah, I think. You two compliment each other, just feel it out and play it by ear." Alice said. "We;re young so no need to rush into anything."

Lily laughed and nodded. "I guess you're right there. No sneaking into old dusty passageways and snogging." Lily laughed when Alice blushed and tossed a pillow at her. Lily tossed it back to her and grinned.

Yawning, she rolled over onto her back and yanked the blankets up until they came over her chest and tucked her stag up underneath her elbow and chin.

"As I walk along the cold night,

Following the sea shore,

I look up at the glitters above,

Shining in white and yellow.

The ocean above is beautiful,

Much deeper and peaceful.

I want to fly in the violet sky,

And sleep on the wavy clouds."

Lily started slightly as the stag cooed softly in her ear. She smiled and pulled her blankets up over the stag as well before drifting off to sleep.

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#7 James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

#11 James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.

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(Sirius: Well that was somewhat touching.)

(Arya: It was meant to be.)

(Sirius: Personally, I think you should have focused little more on my part.)

(Arya: Yet this story is a Lily and James story. Relax, there will be plenty of opportunity for you.)

(Sirius: Fine.)

(Arya: Quite whining. Now, I know some of you are probably wondering why I am rewriting my story.)

(Sirius: I thought it was just because you're female.)

(Arya: How does that make sense?)

(Sirius: Trust me, it just makes sense.)

(Arya: Okay then. Anyway, the reason I am fixing this story up is because I think I can make it better. So now I have all my betas and my good friend who was my beta on board and giving me ideas as to how to fix this story up and to WOW everyone with how great it is!)

(Sirius: Girls talk a lot.)

(Arya: Duh, we're girls. Anyways- The first poem I found on a website called . It's called I Love You and it's written by Dave Lawire. The second poem doesn't have a title but it was written by Courtney Kuchta and found on a website called The final poem is called The Dark Ocean, there was no author listed. I found it on the website called . The full poem of I Love You is down below!)

(Sirius: Now quick people, run and review before she keeps going on and on!)

I never really knew you

You were just another friend

But when I got to know you

I let my heart unbend

I couldn't help past memories

hat would only make me cry

I had to forget my first love

And give it another try

So I've fallen in love with you

And I'll never let you go

I love you more then anyone

I just had to let you know

My feelings for you will never change

Just know my feelings are true

Just remember this one thing

I will always love you

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1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

7) James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

11) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.


	4. Chapter 4 Letters and Storms

Operation Get My Lily has been taken down and revised. This is the fourth chapter of the revised story. I know a lot of you loved the old story but please give this one a chance and let me know what you think, pretty please? Also, if you have something James Potter should not do, drop a line! For now…Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling. I am just playing with her wonderful characters who still hold my heart. What a nerd I am—in the future people will say, you are such a Potter Head, instead of; you are such a Trekkie!

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Chapter Four

Letters and Storms

"There are stages: I have a crush on you, I like you, I really like you, I love you, I'm in love with you." –Anonymous

"Didn't make any difference? Harry, it made all the difference in the world! You helped discover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference." –Remus Lupin

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Weak sunlight peeked out through the thick layer of grey clouds that covered the sky above Hogwarts. Just as the air outside would begin to warm the clouds would wash over the sky again and the temperate would drop and rain would start to fall in loud, heavy pattering against the stone walls of Hogwarts. Within these walls the school students huddled together in their classrooms trying to keep warm.

In the dungeons seventh year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws leaned closely together over their cauldrons. Every time a student moved away their breath congealed in the frost air into a white mist. Measuring out a teaspoon of toads spawn into the cauldron Lily watched As the cauldron began to bubble the white froth skimming over the potions top.

A loud laugh broke through the silence of the class room which quickly trailed off into quieter chuckles. At his desk Slughorn pulled his face up from the Daily Prophet, smiled and went back to reading.

Lily looked to her left rolling her eyes at James who was laughing into the palm of his hand trying to be silent about it. Next to him Sirius was tossing small pieces of gilly weed at Remus's head.

Turning back to her own potion Lily removed it from the heat, letting it rest for the next ten minutes as the textbook instructed.

Turning slightly she glanced over at James feeling a warm flush upon her cheeks when James looked up his eyes catching her own. He smirked at her and Lily quickly looked away again while rolling her eyes at the back of a fellow Gryffindor's head.

"Lils, have you been listening to me at all?" Alice asked sounding amused.

Lily smiled, she had been listening, just not with all of her attention. She would have to subtract points from her Good Friend column again. "Yeah, mostly, want me to recap?" She offered grinning quickly. "Frank, Frank, Frank, and Frank?"

"Shove it!" Alice said laughing, "That was not what I was saying….well not all I was saying." Alice admitted shaking her head and giving the position a surreptitious glance to make sure it was setting the right way.

Laughing Lily picked up the cauldron setting it back on to the fire which she then tapped lightly with her wand. She watched the flames jumped back up, licking up the side of the black cauldron before setting her wand back down and sneaking another glance at James.

Again his eyes lifted as if he knew she was looking, and he looked over at Lily. As James leaned forward Lily watched Remus right himself in his seat.

Blushing once more, Lily looked frontwards and sniggered at the look that Alice was giving her. A piece of paper flashed in front of her face hovering there for a moment. Frowning Lily reached out and plucked it from midair then set it onto the desk, ignoring it.

The parchment fluttered up buzzing in front of her face again. Frowning Lily reached out and grabbed it before pulling it open. Four words were written across the parchment.

Stop staring at me.

A dark, hot blush spread up her cheeks as she folded the note back up and tucked it into her potions book.

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"Hey Evans?" James' voice cut through the babble of those students within the hallway. Lily blushed, pausing and half turning to watch as James weaved his way in and out of the students to catch up with her. Lily half wanted to know what would happen if she ignored him and just kept walking.

He would probably just follow her, the annoying git.

"Your calling me names again. " James said, his 'I am so wounded' face fully in place.

Lily rolled her eyes even as a flare of alarm sprang up inside. Was her verbal filter completely gone when she was around him?! "How do you know what I'm thinking?" She asked sounding sharper than she'd intended.

"You have that look on your face." James said as if it were obvious.

"What look?"

"The one that just screams that you're having very unpleasant thoughts and those type of thoughts are almost always about me."

"Oh. Sorry." Lily said although she was unsure why she was apologizing. She hadn't said what she'd thought out loud, she had just bit her tongue and smiled. Still it felt as if she did owe him some form of apology. As though her thoughts had the power to wound him. Which if he knew what she was thinking, they probably could.

James grinned. "Nah. No you're not. I probably deserve whatever name you're thinking of calling me."

"You want me to tell you what name I'm thinking of, don't you?"

"A bit yes." James admitted.

"Well hopefully your curiosity won't kill you, my lips are sealed."

"Not fair!"

Using your killer looks and charm on me is not fair. Lily wondered when she had started to think of James as charming. Probably right around the same time as when she noticed he was becoming more mature. "Life isn't fair. You either get used to it or you don't." Lily said quoting one of her father's favorite sayings.

She began walking again, noticing several students lurking about. Apparently news of their impromptu dance had been spreading around Hogwarts like fire and people were on the lookout for another show.

James fell into step beside her whistling as she walked. Lily remained quiet, refusing to break the silence between them. James had yelled at her through the crowd so if he wanted to talk to her he'd have to be the first one to speak.

"You never did stop you know." James said casually after he had whistled out the last chords of an upbeat song and they had traveled over halfway to Gyffindor Tower together.

"Stop what?" Lily asked.

"Staring at me."

"You have a big ego James Potter. I was not staring at you."

James snorted, "Even Peter, who is denser then a rock, noticed you staring."

"It's not very kind to insult your friends." Lily said, irritated.

"Nice diversion, Evans." Potter said grinning, "But you were still staring and everyone in our potions class can attest to that."

"I was not." Lily said rather childishly.

"Go on, admit it."

"I have nothing to admit."

"Oh yes you do. Admit it, you like me!" James crowed, wiggling his fingers in front of Lily's face.

Lily gave him a dirty look before looking straight ahead, past him. "I have nothing to admit James."

"Huh. Right then, why are you blushing?"

"I am not blushing James, it's just hot in here." Lily said though a moment before she'd tied her school scarf tighter around her neck.

"Sure, that's why you're shivering and bright red at the same time." James smirked at her.

Lily rolled her eyes, how could someone be so cute and yet so infuriating at the same time? "Fine."

"Fine what?" James asked his smirk fading into a tentative smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Fine," Lily said not wanting to admit it but at the same time enjoying the look of apprehension on James's face, "I like you!"

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Thunder rumbled across the sweeping grounds; lighting lit up the beautiful, dark indigo sky with its sweeping, black clouds. Rain knocked loudly upon window panes as if begging to be let inside.

In her warm bed, Lily tossed and turned, her eyes sweeping restlessly underneath her closed eyelids.

The storm was one of the worse Hogwarts had seen in years and it beat down heavily upon the stone walls. Wind howled and threatened to break down the stone which had so long kept it locked out.

Heart racing, Lily sat up wiping sweat soaked hair from her face. Swinging her feet out of bed she got up and made her way over to the window, pouring herself a cup of water.

Outside thunder boomed again and Lily jumped spilling her drink. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating Lily's pale face and wide eyed stare in the reflection of the window panes. Outside the wild tempest blew trees sideways as they fought against the wind's unending force.

Lily gasped half wanting to run back to bed half wanting to know if what she saw was real.

In the brief second of light Lily was sure she had seen three large animals roaming across the grounds. In the next second darkness had settled again and the image had vanished. Only the pouring rain remained.

Shivering, she made her way back to bed. Once there she stood looking at the rumbled bed sheets, frightened.

It was silly really, being in her last year of school and still being afraid of a little thunder and lightening. Yet she had always been afraid, ever since she had been a small child, she had been terrified of storms. Something about the loud boom and flash of light across the sky sent her scurrying beneath her blankets until it ended.

Taking a deep breath Lily sat down on the edge of her bed reaching up to close the bed hangings. Thunder boomed outside once more causing Lily to jump back up. Not bothering with her bathrobe or slippers Lily slipped out of the dorm room and down to the common room.

Here the sound of the raging storm was muffled. When the thunder boomed, the fire would merrily crackle like a soothing lullaby.

Yet Lily couldn't help but feel unsettled, as though something ominous was still lurking just out of her sight. Swallowing, she sat down onto one of the couches close to the forefront of the fireplace, feeling the warmth of the flames comforting.

Behind her a gust of cool air blew into the common room and Lily half turned, stifling a yawn behind her hand.

Sirius Black strolled into the room with water dripping down from the ends of his hair. He paused, throwing a glance at Lily surprised to see her pale face peeking out from behind the couch.

"Red, what are you doing up this late?" He asked, his voice sharp. The portrait hole behind him swung shut with a snap. He reached out smoothing his hair back from his forehead.

"I could ask you the same thing Black," Lily retorted, "And don't call me Red."

"Why not? Your hair is red. Your skin is pale. I guess I could call you Ginger but that just doesn't glide off the tongue like Red does."

Lily rolled her eyes at him scowling. "Right then, you do realize that none of what you just said makes any sense."

"It made perfect sense to those who were listening." Sirius said smirking slightly. A smirk that Lily had seen often on His and James' faces right before they'd pulled off a rather impressive prank.

"Why are you soaking wet?" Lily asked.

"Because I can be and some of us aren't chicken about a little rain." Black said grinning.

"I'm not afraid of a little rain!" Lily said right before she flinched at a loud boom of thunder that caused the very castle walls to vibrate.

"Right then," Black said laughing, "Well enjoy hiding from the scary storm." He walked to the boys dorm stairs and paused there, giving her a concerned look before walking up the stair case and into the boys dorm room.

Rolling her eyes Lily settled back down onto the couch and watching the flames dance in the hearth. It occurred to her that she and Sirius had just had one of the most pleasant conversations since she was in the hospital wing.

The rain tapped louder against the window pane and Lily curled her legs tighter against her body while glancing at the window. She could see the rain splattering against the glass planes and she thought randomly of soap suds slipping and sliding.

Yawning Lily let her head fall down onto the arm of the couch, glad for the silence that surrounded her. Only the slight sound of rain and faint booms of thunder rolling across the grounds disturbed her silence.

Again the common room door opened letting cool air in and then shut with a small clang. Frowning Lil sat back up looking once again over the top of the couch and feeling her breath catch in her chest a little.

James Potter strolled in looking even more drool worthy than normal with his soaked clothes clinging to his body and his hair slicked against his head. Feeling as though she was staring, Lily managed to close her mouth, give him a small smile and turn back to the fire place. Her heart hammered hard against her chest making it hard to breathe. Since admitting to James that she liked him, Lily had not been in any sort of close proximity to him. There had been teachers and students between them as they passed each other and no time to talk about her confession.

Not that Lily was sure there was anything really for them to talk about. All she had done was confirm James' thoughts about her liking him thus giving him more ammunition. More ammunition for what though Lily wasn't sure.

To play with her heart strings?

To make her fall head over heels for him only to end up dumb, ditched, and furious because she had fallen for him just like every other female in Hogwarts had?

"Lily?" A cold hand touched the side of her cheek and Lily jumped, pulling back.

"Brrr, James your hands are like ice!" Lily snapped, glaring at him.

James gave her a sheepish look as thunder boomed louder than before just outside the Common Room. Lily jumped again throwing a look at the window.

"Sorry. I said hello, but you didn't answer."

"I was lost in thought," Lily admitted looking again at the window as the lightening flashed across the sky. "Where are Peter and Remus?" She asked realizing that neither one of the boys had entered despite Black and Potter both coming inside within moments of the other. If Black and Potter where out of bed and off causing havoc somewhere than it stood to good reason that Peter and Remus were too.

"Asleep." James said off handedly not quiet meeting her eyes.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Really Potter? Both you and Black come in minutes apart, soaking wet and you expect me to believe that Lupin and Pettigrew weren't a part of it?"

"A part of what?"

"Whatever prank you guys were planning," Lily said rolling her eyes, "Really Potter, I'm not that dense. Getting into trouble is your middle name."

"It's Harry actually."

"Er, what?" Lily asked, sidetracked from starting her usual lecture about how irresponsible it was to be roaming around at night especially with Gryffindor neck and neck with Slytherin for the house cup!

"My middle name."

"I never asked your middle name." Lily said wondering if James had taken a hit to the head recently. That would explain why he was going off on a very odd conversation.

"You said getting into trouble was my middle name, I was simply correcting you." James grinned at her and the cute, perplexed face she was making.

"Erm…" Lily said not sure what to say to that and wondering if she should just escape back up into her dorm room. At least there she would not be so confused about what was or was not going on between her and James.

Thunder boomed loudly outside and lighting cracked across the sky, Lily jumped, squeaking and then glared at James who was chuckling at her.

"Afraid of the storm?"

"You are soaking wet and going to catch your death." Lily said, not answering his question. Maybe if she pretended not to hear him he wouldn't press it.

"I was playing in the storm," James said, "But you know it's not silly to be afraid of storms, lots of people are."

"I am not afrai-" Lily shrieked again as another bolt of lighting lit up the common room with white light and thunder boomed through the tower. Was the storm getting louder or was it her imagination? "Okay maybe I am a little."

James chuckled although the cocky smile he typically wore was absent.

"Want me to sit with you until it calms down a little?" He offered.

Lily could not help but remember a time in their first year when she had been laying in bed listening to a storm much like this raging around the castle. Booming thunder had echoed loudly across the sky and she had been sent scurrying down stairs into the common room; where she had curled up on the couch shaking. Back then the fear of the storm had been much stronger, the storms had seemed so much fiercer than the stone walls of Hogwarts which kept them safe. She had thought then that she was alone, the only one in the room watching the flames in the fireplace slowly burn out.

That was the first night she had met Remus. He had stayed up the entire night waiting out the storm with her and entertaining her with stories about his friends who fought about everything and the silly pranks they got up to in the boys dorm room.

"No one likes storms Lil's. They're loud and they make everything wet. You never really feel safe until they're gone like the monsters under your bed, and you wait for the knight in shining armor to come save you from it all. Thankfully though, they always die out and the sunshine comes back or a new day starts." It had been the first words he had spoken to her, words that even now carried a greater weight than her eleven year old mind could have imagined.

"Please." Lily said although she could think of a thousand reasons why it wasn't a good idea; starting with the fact that he was still dripping wet. As if knowing Lily was about to point that fact out James pulled out his wand, waved it at his clothes, dried them and then sat down beside her.

"Why were you out in the storm?" Lily asked as the silence stretched between them. The flames within the hearth were slowly burning out but the air within the common room was still warm.

"Getting up to no good." James said a trace of his smirk coming out.

"In other words, you're not going to tell me."

"No, I'm not. I can't."

"Right." Lily said sounding shorter than she meant to. Laughter at James expression was bubbling in her chest, fighting to break out, despite how much she wanted to keep it at bay. This whole situation felt surreal as though at any moment she might wake up in her bed.

"Lily I would tell you if I could….."

"I'm not mad at you Potter, it's fine. Just wondering if the next time we all go out to see a quidditch game the stadium will be full of slugs or something of the like.."

"Excellent idea! I'll mention it to Remus." James grinned.

"I thought Sirius was your main partner in crime."

"One of them, yes. Remus is another. Don't let his bookworm exterior fool you Lily-dove. He is definitely a marauder."

Lily laughed, "Oh I'm not questioning his rank among you all, I'm just curious about how many pranks have actually been his idea."

"Loads!" James said making his eyes big and doleful. Lily laughed again, shaking her head at him.

"I suppose you would say that all the pranks throughout your years at Hogwarts have been Remus's fault?"

"Well, most of them anyway. Sirius should get some credit too."

"And you are completely innocent?"

"Well innocent is a bit of a stretch..." James said looking up at the ceiling. In the same intense way Headmaster Dumbledore did when he did not want his emotions to be easily read.

Lily yawned, tired all at once. Maybe she should have gone upstairs to bed... even as the thought entered her mind Lily disregarded it. If she went back upstairs she would be right back down here and more awake in a few minutes anyways. She had an inkling that this safe, sleepy feeling came from being near to James.

"So you won't tell me where Remus or Peter truly are. Everyone knows that the four marauders always go everywhere together. You're blaming all pranks in the past seven years on poor Remus and Sirius. Is that about it?" Lily said counting each point on one of her fingers.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Well this has been a most enlightening talk."

"How so?"

Lily grinned. "Well you almost had me fooled into thinking you might be more interesting than the giant squid but since all the pranks were Remus's idea I'm going to have to rethink that."

"Darn." James said looking mildly crestfallen. Lily wondered if he was truly upset or just playing along with her banter.

"Any possible way I can recant on my statement?"

"Nope. Sorry." Lily said, suppressing laughter as well as a yawn. Not a very pleasant sensation.

"Well I will just have to plot new ways to win your affection." James said as if he was making a pact to give someone his kidneys.

"Good luck." Lily yawned again, "I do not hand affection out willy nilly. It has to be earned. Like…..chocolate."

"Okay." James said giving her a doubtful look as if wondering about her sanity. "Maybe you should go up to bed. You look sleepy."

"Nah. The storm is too loud up there and I'm cozy right here." By you. She added in her head for honesty's sake.

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Silence greeted her when she woke; the gentle throbbing of another heart which had lulled her to sleep was gone. The fire within the hearth was nothing but glowing embers in the bottom of the grate.

Only a fine misting rain fell across the grounds of Hogwarts now. Lily was alone in the common room with only the sense that someone's arms had been wrapped around her telling her that she'd had company at one point.

Yawning, Lily rose and with a shudder from the slightly chilly air she made her way up the stairs to bed. It was only after she had lain down, wrapped in her warm blankets that she smelled it. The scent that could only be described as James hovered all about her, comforting in its masculinity. She was wearing James's sweater.

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The Great Hall was abuzz with noise when Lily entered it the next morning. The constant swish of school robes and low murmur of voices reminded Lily of a beehive slowly awakening for a day full of work.

Above, black clouds rolled across the ceiling and lightening forced its way between the puffs of grey. A few startled faces looked up at the ceiling as the flash of white light flooded the Hall. Lily made her way to her usual spot, halfway down the table, grabbing a cup of coffee the moment she sat down. There was, in her opinion, no better way to wake up than with a scalding cup of caffeine.

"Read this." Alice said shoving a newspaper article under Lily's nose. She didn't bother with pleasantries instead she glared daggers until Lily timidly took the paper, afraid if she made a wrong move she would end up at the wrong end of Alice's wand. Looking down at the paper Lily did not have to search long before finding the article that seemed to be the cause of Alice's anger.

The article took up most of the front page of the Prophet but Lily merely glanced at it. She had been hearing all about this from Alice since it began last summer, right before the school year ended.

Murders committed by werewolves were on the rise. In recent months deaths during the full moon from werewolf attacks had become more and more common. The Ministry of Magic suspected that one rogue werewolf was binding together all the others in an attempt to launch a full scale battle against humankind.

"They want nothing more than to kill. Doesn't matter to them if they're muggles, muggleborns. They just want to see the death of anyone not like them."

Above the few lines Lily had read there was a picture of a gruesome looking man as his face slowly transformed into that of a wolf.

Feeling chilled, Lily folded the paper and set it down next to her plate. She searched her mind looking for something adequate to say though nothing came to her presently. There were no words that seemed to cover the situation.

"What is really not right about that article," Alice said as though they had been talking about it for a long time, "Is that this has been going on since sixth year ended, before even my parents said they were going on a lot more auror missions related to werewolf killings. Even worse, they're targeting muggle borns. Not one pureblood has died!"

'Muggleborns like me.' Lily thought, although she didn't say it aloud.

"So what do you think is happening?" She asked.

Alice had always been something of a conspiracy nut.

Lily would ask James, whose parents were also aurors like Alice's, what he thought of the whole situation.

"I think the Ministry is trying to cover their arses with a whole lot of overreacting towards the wrong problem. There is no way that one werewolf is causing all this trouble. Sorry, but they would just as soon fight each other than band together and hunt as a pack, they're purely solitary creatures, everyone knows that. No, someone else has got to be leading them and they have to have an agenda. To make up for not knowing the true culprit the Ministry is targeting all werewolves, good or bad. And before you ask, yes, I think that there can be good werewolves. I mean those muggles who get turned never ask for the curse and most of them are decent folks." Alice reasoned

"Right, right." Lily said nodding her head and wishing she had something to add. She was still hung up on the fact that not one single full blooded wizard or witch had died. Not that she wanted them to, she would rather no one died. It just seemed odd to her that those being targeted were muggleborns or muggles.

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A feeling of unease and worry hovered over Hogwarts for the next few mornings. For most students these were the first mass murders they'd ever heard about. The fact that they had been going on for some time now without Ministry intervention set warning bells off in many heads. Was there something more going on beneath the surface?

"I know," Lily said out of breath as she hurriedly dumped her books onto the library table and settled herself into a chair, "I know I'm late. But Alice was chattering about….MERLIN! Remus what happened to your eye?" Lily said alarmed at the dark black and blue bruise that was slowly swelling Remus's eye shut.

Remus mumbled something in reply glancing around himself as though afraid Madam Pince was hovering around and would catch him with the black eye.

"Remus, were you fighting with Slytherins again? You and James?" Lily asked, frowning. She could remember a time when James and the boys were younger, they were forever getting into fights and ending up with rather horrific bruises.

"No, just me. He doesn't know about this."

"Why wouldn't you tell James?" Lily asked, confused.

"Because I do not need him interfering. It's none of his business anyway." Remus's tone was notably sharper than Lily had ever heard it before. There was something that Remus wasn't telling her. She couldn't fathom why else Remus would be acting so defensive about talking to James. It just wasn't like him.

"Well," Lily said flipping open a random book without really looking at it. "How do you plan to hide that shiner then?"

"I was hoping you would heal it for me seeing as you're better than I am at healing charms and all." Remus said.

"I don't know Remus…" Lily said doubtfully. What would it do to her new found truce with James if she hid something like this from him?

"Please Lily." He begged.

This was Remus, her second oldest friend. The one that had saved her when she was floundering in Herbology and who had been constantly been there for her no matter the situation. Could she really say no when he needed her help?

"I wouldn't be able to heal it completely," Lily said carefully examining the dark ring around his eye. "James will probably still notice a bruise. And I won't lie about it."

"I would never ask you to." Remus said sounding more like his old self.

"If it happens again you need to go to the Headmaster for help. Or even James."

"I'll consider it."

Lily sighed. That was the best she was going to get him to agree to. Wagering with a marauder never went as expected. Standing up, she withdrew her wand from her robes tapped Remus eye lightly and muttered a spell.

The swelling began to vanish almost at once and the dark blue and purple began to fade to green and yellow.

"There." Lily said tucking her wand back inside her robes and sitting back down. "Shall we study then?" She asked.

This whole situation left her on edge. What was it that Remus was hiding from her? What was it that he hid from his friends? Why was he letting these fights happen?

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"Hey, Potter!" Lily called, finally spotting James on his way up the owlery with a letter in one hand. She had been looking for him ever since she'd talked with Remus that afternoon.

"Stalking me now Evans?" James said a full smirk in place.

"Only in your dreams," Lily retorted, "I wanted to ask you about your parents."

"My parents would approve of you and think you're a great girl."

"Gee, thanks but it's still between you and the giant squid for the top spot of the never-going-to-happen category though."

"But you admitted you like me!"

"I didn't specify the type of liking it was." Lily pointed out.

James frowned, looking perplexed. "There are different kinds of liking?"

"There is in Lily Land. And my liking or lack of liking you is not why I came to speak to you."

"Oh." James said looking a little upset. Lily stifled a giggle, it was kind of fun baiting James like this. Hopefully it didn't make her a tease…

"When you took me to see the unicorns you said your parents had not come back from an auror mission?" Lily couldn't help but think fondly of that night. It was the first night that she had really started falling for James. Maybe she had already fallen before then but she'd only begun to admit it to herself that night.

Lily wasn't sure either way, though it was a night she planned to never forget.

"Yeah."

"Are they back now? Your parents I mean."

"Yeah. Got back safe and sound a couple of days after that night, Mum said in a letter that Dad had gotten them lost." James chuckled and Lily smiled.

"Glad to hear they're safe." Lily hesitated on the next question.

"What is it?" James asked, rightly guessing there was something else on her mind.

"Is it true?" Lily asked. She trusted that what Alice had told her was the truth. Yet part of her hoped that maybe James, whose parents would have an inside scoop, might have a different story to tell.

"Is what true?"

"That the killings are being targeted at mostly muggleborns and muggles." James refused to meet her eyes and Lily felt her stomach sinking. That was two students who had auror parents that were singing the same tune. Both James and Alice where privy to different kinds of knowledge that could be considered important even if their parents did not think so.

"Well," Lily said after some minutes had passed by, "Thankfully Hogwarts is the safest place to be." She had no idea if her fears, about some as of yet unknown master mind was the true source of these attacks, were well founded or not. All she knew was that she could not let them bother her, not right now anyways. Especially not with such a busy year ahead of her.

"Right." James said with conviction, nodding his head. There was a look on his face that Lily could only describe as protective.

"I best let you deliver that letter." Lily said and began walking away, her stomach hovering somewhere below her knees. Muggles were dying.

Muggleborns.

Like her.

"Hey, Lils?"

"Yeah?" Lily asked turning to look at James.

"You going to tell me what kind of like it is?"

Lily pretended to think for a moment and then grinned, "No, I think not." Giggling at the look on James's face, she turned and made her way back towards Gryffindor tower.

A letter was waiting for her when she got back to her room. Frowning, she picked it up, it was addressed in her mother's hand. Her mother was a second grade teacher and she was not a very fond of writing after a long day in the classroom. Lily dropped down onto her bed and just stared at the envelope.

What if it was bad news? Werewolf attacks were on the rise. What if one got her Da, or Petunia? Although she thought a good werewolf scare would do her sister some good, Lily did not want something bad to happen to her.

Flipping it over, Lily pulled the papers out, her eyes scanning over the letter.

Lily,

It's finally happened! Vernon has asked Tunia to marry him! I will send you details as soon as I get them! We miss you ever so much!

Love,

Mum

P.S. Your Da showed me the letter your new beau wrote you and we both fully approve!

Lily sat still as a statue, staring blankly at the letter with her mouth hanging open. One thing was for sure; she was going to kill James Potter!

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(Arya: Hey guys, so sorry for the delay...)

(Sirius: She does it on purpose.)

(Arya: Shut-up Sirius.)

(Sirius: That is not very nice Arya. I think I should take offense to that!)

(Arya: Right then. Anyway, Sorry for the delay. It is finals at collage. I may be taking just one class but it is hard with working full time and dealing with family and everything so, again sorry for the delay.)

(Sirius: I still say you do it on purpose.)

(Arya: I am sure.)

(Sirius: You do. You know kind reviewers that she will write quicker if you guys leave her some words of encourgment or critizsim.)

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6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of the firer.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

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**For list of the things James Potter is not allowed to do...ever...**

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

3) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of the firer.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a stormy.


	5. Chapter 5 Merry Go Round

Operation Get My Lily has been taken down and revised. This is the fifth chapter of the revised story. I know a lot of you loved the old story but please give this one a chance and let me know what you think, pretty please? Also, if you have something James Potter should not do, drop a line! For now…Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling. I am just playing with her wonderful characters who still hold my heart. What a nerd I am—in the future people will say, you are such a Potter Head, instead of; you are such a Trekkie!

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Chapter Five

Merry Go Round

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"**I'm** saying the devils are inside the walls. Igor Karkaroff. He was a Death Eater and no one, *no one* stops being a Death Eater. Then there's Barty Crouch. Heart of stone, sent his own son to Azkaban." (Sirius Black)

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Protection: the act of keeping oneself safe from harm.

Birth control: a way to ensure a girl can protect herself from becoming pregnant during sex.

Condoms: a type of birth control worn by the male to ensure safe sex.

Weeks after the letter had come it still brought flaming color to her cheeks. Her dad honestly thought that she, Lily, was sexually active! To make the startling revelation all the more embarrassing her dad thought that her "partner" was James bloody Potter!

Not that Lily was not attracted to James. She was. She just wasn't willing to admit that, even to herself, yet. In the grand scheme of things James was an attractive male. A very attractive, very charming male that most of the girls of Hogwarts would love to have their clothes ripped off by.

Yet there was more to love than just the physical act of sex. James claimed they were meant forever and he had been after her for years when she knew most boys did not chase the same woman for years just for a good go between the sheets.

James bloody Potter wanted more than a quickie in the broom cupboard and that thought terrified Lily above all others.

She could handle Potter's flirting, his charm and "me man you woman" attitude at times. She could not handle the thought of forever. Especially at the ripe, young age of seventeen.

Lily firmly believed love, marriage, and bonking were forever. A firm commitment between two people to be together til the end of time.

These thoughts kept Lily from being able to be anywhere near James in the past few weeks. Every time he came close Lily was overcome by giggles, or a nervous cough or her face would turn red like a tomato and she would have to hurry away. It was like being thirteen and finally admitting you were attracted to someone!

Someone immature and suave, but still someone Lily was attracted to. Thankfully it seemed as though James had not caught on to that fact, at least not yet anyway. Still the whole matter was a source of mortification for Lily, her parents thought she had a boyfriend and her father thought she was sexually active.

To make it more face-burningly embarrassing she had been studying with Remus when the letter came. So the whole matter was firmly fixed in Remus's mind as well. Thank Merlin that Remus had sworn not to say a word, although every time they passed each other in the hallway or sat down to study it was hard to maintain eye contact for very long without bursting out laughing.

The month of September had been long over, the apples which had been too high to be picked now lay among the leaves, rotting on the ground.

October passed in a spirited month of pouring rain and mud. No more whispers reached the students of Hogwarts about what was happening in their world and the matter was firmly forgotten in most of their minds.

Lily awoke on October thirty first to grey skies, pouring rain, and low spirits. Her nose was stuffed, her throat ached, and it felt as though someone had beaten her with a beaters bat quite viciously. It seemed as though the October cold that she and Alice always suffered from had finally caught up with her.

Sniffing, Lily shuffled her way into the bathroom while layering a white turtle neck under the grey Hogwarts vest for extra warmth.

"Happy Halloween." Lily muttered to her reflection then stuck her tongue out. She was certainly scary looking enough to frighten little kids without a costume on.

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The Great Hall was overfull with Halloween décor. Twelve huge pumpkins sat on pedestals their carved faces beaming. Looking closer at them Lily saw they were filled to the brim with candy corn and the green vines that swirled around the pumpkin were some type of licorice candy. Above their heads along the Great Halls ceiling live bats swooped and dove down among the tables. The normal house banners which typically hung above the students heads had been replaced with black and orange streamers that seemed to twist and curl on their own.

Sitting down at her table Lily discovered smaller pumpkins also overflowing with candy corn and the small green vines tangled among dishes brimming with food. Despite feeling and looking like something the dog dragged in, Lily felt her stomach rumble and reached for a large stack of waffles, smothering them and her scrambled eggs with syrup.

Halfway through bringing a forkful of gooey waffle mess to her mouth Lily froze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.

Turning around her eyes swept the Great Hall, landing on the Slytherin table. It was mostly empty, almost all of them had already poured out into the quidditch field to await the upcoming game with enthusiasm. Those that remained at the table paid little particular interest to the others about them. They simply shoveled food down as quickly as could be so as to get outside and find a nice seat.

Even so Lily could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Briefly while she was eating Lily felt the barest swish of clothing and then a hand running gently down the back of her neck. She turned quickly but with all the students moving through the tables there was no way to tell who had done it.

Later as she was surrounded by others in the stands, soft fingers brushed down the length of her red hair causing more goose bumps to erupt on her cold flesh. Bellatrix Black sat behind Lily in the stands and she sneered when Lily glanced back at her, now extremely paranoid.

"What are you looking at mudblood?" Bella snarled.

"Apparently a pureblooded snob." Lily answered curtly and turned back around to stare at the empty field. If she had stayed facing Bella she would have seen her tumble backwards into Malfoy's lap for no apparent reason.

Every student and teacher, including the headmaster, filled the stands waiting in anticipation for what was to come. Their mingled breaths turned white and frosty on the air in front of their faces speaking of a cold winter to come.

Down on the field players began emerging from their changing rooms. Silver and green for Slytherin and black and yellow for Hufflepuff. Cheers, hollers and boos filled the stands as the teams came face to face with each other.

Madam Hooch, the newest edition to Hogwarts staff, mounted her broomstick looking rather hard at the Slytherin team.

"I want a nice, clean game." She chastised then set the whistle to her lips, releasing the balls which soared up into the air immediately. She tossed the quaffle and the game began.

The crowd cheered as the players took off and the voice of Hester Jones filled the stadium.

"Chaser McDougel for Slytherin captures the quaffle, he's hit by a bludger! Chaser Anthony McLilligon takes off…..shooting down towards the Slytherin goal post, dodges beater Terry Innogen and scoreeeeees! That's ten to zilch!"

Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gyffindor houses applauded loudly while the Slytherins booed and yelled out insults.

"So you'll come watch a Hufflepuff game but you won't come watch me play?" James's voice came suddenly from the empty space that had been next to her.

Lily jumped and turned to him startled, "James! I didn't know you were here….next to me." Lily said lamely.

"I came late," James answered, "You like Hufflepuff team better than your own house then?" He asked again and Lily blushed.

"I was at our last game, just not in the stands." Lily said feeling her face burn. She had been at the game earlier that week but she had not joined the others. Earlier that day Lily had been sitting in the library reading the letter her father had sent to her. "I was near the bottom of the stadium."

James gave her a half crooked smile, "Right then, who's winning?"

"Hufflepuff has ten points to zero." Lily said looking back at up the game and listening to what Hester was saying in the back of her mind like a gentle buzz.

"Good! Let's hope Hufflepuff slays them." James said settling down on to his seat and leaning his elbows on his knees and watching the game.

"Boys and their sports!" Lily said with a giggle settling in next to him and watching the game herself.

It was an interesting feeling sitting next to James on a cold day. Half of her body felt the cold of winter's bite while the other half of her body which sat near James felt warm and tingly as though she was sitting in front of a warm fire. While others around them leapt up and shouted with glee when Hufflepuff scored James sat unmoving, his elbows still braced on his knees.

A small frown turned down the corners of his mouth and his eyes fluttered from player to player not missing a thing. Wind ruffled his hair messing it more than it had already been. As though sensing someone looking at him James gave her a sidelong glance, smiled and looked back up at the sky just as a Hufflepuff chaser broke away and scored another goal.

Lily quickly tore her eyes away from James and looked up at the sky herself trying to focus on the game that was playing out above their heads.

Sitting so near to him meant she couldn't focus on what was happening. He was like a planet pulling her satellite focus to him at all times.

"Are you going to tell me what kind of like it is?" James asked reaching over and grabbing Lily's hand in his own.

"Um, what?" Lily asked tearing her eyes away from the game and looking at James startled.

"You said in Lily-Land there are different kinds of likes. I'm wondering under which category I fall into." James said.

Lily laughed.

"No, I think I will keep you guessing."

She turned and looked back up into the sky watching as one of the Slytherin beaters hit a bludger hard towards one of the Hufflepuff chasers. The Hufflepuff dodged narrowly and the bludger sped off again.

"Please?" James asked rubbing circles against Lily's hand causing her heart to pound. Lily shook her head 'no,' giving him a half smile, unable to talk.

Fat, wet rain drops began to come down around them soaking the students in minutes and making it difficult to see the players in the sky. Lily reached up with her one free hand and wiped the water drops from her eyes. It was bitterly cold but no one was abandoning the game when it looked like Hufflepuff might win.

Next to her James let out a laugh, Lily glanced over at him blinking against the rain drops.

"What is so funny?" She asked.

"Every time we're together it's pouring rain!" James said shaking his already soaked hair.

"Well, it is winter time..." Lily said giving James a grin. It was true, whenever they were together it seemed as though the skies were constantly opening up on them.

A loud boom echoed across the stadium and then the lightening flashed. Lily jumped grabbing onto James' hand even tighter.

"Want to go inside?" James offered noticing Lily's tense face.

Lily shook her head no, she was seventeen for Merlin's sake she should be able to handle a little lightening and thunder. Still though, she could not shake the feeling of fear that slithered into her stomach whenever a storm started up.

"Are you sure? It's pretty impossible to see now anyways." James said his eyes flicking back to the game he had been so absorbed in a moment before.

"Positive." Lily answered even as she jumped watching the lightening strike across the sky. As the white light illuminated the area she could see two players neck and neck racing off towards something.

She hoped it was the snitch, getting inside and away from the loudness of the storm where she could hide in front of the warm fire of her common room would be welcome indeed. Lily didn't care much about who would win as long as the game was almost over.

Another flash of lightening and another boom and Lily frowned. It looked as though the seekers had broken off their mad pursuit and were once again hovering above the game.

James tucked his elbow against Lily's body lacing his fingers through Lily's own and giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Students all around them were shifting on the benches trying to see what was going on in the sky. Although the storm was dark and damp it seemed spirits of students where at an all time high with the thrill of the game. Even the Slytherins were quietly hushed in the tempest of the storm that was raging and the intense game that battled on.

Teachers leaned forward, squinting their eyes against the ongoing storm trying to detect any kind of trouble among the students floating in the sky.

"You know," James said his voice right next to Lily's ear, his breath tickling Lily's neck and ear. "We could kiss right now, under the teachers' very noses and they wouldn't even be able to see us."

Lily reached over and slapped James in the back of the head with her free hand without bothering to look away from the sky and the hard to see game.

The storm raged on making it difficult to hear much else. The stands vibrated with the force of the thunder and every lightning strike had Lily cringing.

As had happened during the unicorn sight seeing storm Lily's clothes were soaked through and clinging to her. She was suddenly thankful for the white turtle neck she had adorned that morning. It at least kept her somewhat warm in the downpour.

Four more points where awarded to Hufflepuff within the next fifteen minutes. Slytherins hollered insults at their opponents, booing loudly while simultaneously encouraging their own team members.

Almost as fast as she could wipe the water away it was replaced by much more. It felt as though she had dived into a pool and then voluntarily sat through a storm. Which was exactly what she was doing, minus the pool.

Sitting in the middle of a rain storm, holding hands with James Potter and watching a game that no one could see felt surreal. It almost felt like a first date, kind of like those you would read about in those silly romance books just a few pages before the big sex scene. Lily glanced sidelong at Potter and laughed to herself, there was no way she was going to be falling into bed with James Potter after this game or in the foreseeable future.

Looking up at the sky Lily allowed her mind to skip down the pages of a romance book, laughing at herself quietly at some of the more obscure thoughts that entered her mind. Her and James kissing, her and James falling into bed, her and James cuddling by a roaring fire. All things that couples in romance novels did but not at all something that Lily could see herself and Potter doing. At least not yet.

Not yet...

Lily thought hard, looking again at James as another lightning strike lit up the sky and the students all gasped. It sounded as though they had heard Lily's startling revelation to herself and were holding their breaths just waiting for her to admit it.

Tearing her eyes away from James and the thoughts that were distracting her, Lily watched as one of the players dove sharply, snatching something and then pulling up while holding his hand high despite the fact that no one was able to see anything.

"I think…" Hester's voice magically travelled the stadium and she sounded as though she was having trouble seeing anything like everyone else. "Hufflepuff wins!"

The crowd cheered and the students collectively rose up onto their feet.

James stood as well, yanking Lily to her feet and clapping along side everyone else.

"That means Slytherin is knocked out of the running for the cup!" James said loudly in Lily's ear as the rumble of thunder echoed again.

Lily grinned "And if Hufflepuff beats out Ravenclaw next week it'll be Gyffindor against Hufflepuff!"

"An uneven match but I'm sure they'll put up a good fight." James said cockily causing Lily to snort.

"Your ego is going to make your head swell." Lily said making James laugh.

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Chatter filled the Great Hall, loud and cheerful, as the students watched the swooping bats or snagged large handfuls of candy corn. Huge plates filled with food sat in front of them and the students gorged themselves, their stomachs pushing out their waist bands.

Teachers sat up at the high table chattering amongst themselves. McGonagall held a goblet in her hand and was sipping from it periodically. Her young face looked warm and excited. Her lips curled in a smile that was almost as bright as the flickering candle flames that illuminated the Hall.

Lily sat snugly between her fellow Gyffindors, slowly working her way through yet another large handful of candy corn. Her nose felt as though it was stuffed with stones which made it difficult to breath or to taste. Still the sweet candy corn danced over her taste buds as she swallowed piece after piece. The warmth that had stayed with her since James had taken her hand when he joined her during the game still sat cozily in her stomach.

Thinking of Potter, Lily glanced sidelong up and down the table. He was sitting several feet from where she sat, between Peter and Sirius. He looked happy, eating what looked to be some sort of pie and chattering with his friends.

Tearing her gaze from James she looked up and down the table again wondering where Remus was. Lily had seen him earlier when she came in from the game to dry off and Remus had said he would see her later that night during the feast. So far though, Lily had not seen him enter the Great Hall.

A shoulder bumped into hers and Lily stopped scanning the table and glanced at who it was. Hester Jones settled down next to her with a soft red lipped smile, reaching out she pulled a pie towards her and set it onto her plate before digging in. Lily grabbed a piece of treacle tart glancing down the table again.

"He's more towards the left end of the table." Hester said helpfully and Lily looked at her confused with a bite of tart half way up to her mouth. It seemed as though someone always spoke to her whenever she was going to put food in her mouth.

"Who?" Lily asked taking the bite of tart, trying to enjoy as much of the taste as she could.

"James." Hester said smiling and inclining her head towards Potter.

"I know," Lily admitted blushing slightly, "But I wasn't looking for him actually."

She poured more juice into her cup and took a long sip. Lily coughed then, clearing her throat and taking another swallow of the juice.

"Oh? You two looked so cozy earlier I just assumed you were getting along." Hester said taking another bite of her pie. "Yum, cherry!"

Lily smiled and then shook her head at that.

"We are, I mean, we were." Lily said "I was looking for Remus though. He said he would see me tonight during the feast and he hasn't come into the dinning hall yet and the feast is almost over."

Hester shrugged.

"Maybe he got occupied with something, or someone." She suggested with a wiggle of her eyebrow.

Lily laughed and shook her head taking a piece of pie for herself, she loved desserts of all kinds. The pie turned out to be blueberry, one of her favorites.

"That's not like Remus. I mean, to just hook up." Lily said.

As long as Lily had known Remus he had never just hooked up with someone. In fact as long as she had known him he had never so much as dated. It was almost as though he had distanced himself from dating or even female contact.

"Lily? You okay?" Hester asked snapping her fingers in front of Lily's face, her red and gold nails flashing through the air and startling Lily.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something." Lily said giving Hester a smile and finishing off her pie.

"You sound sick." Hester said getting herself another piece and then offering Lily a piece of pie. Lily shook her head, taking a sip of her juice and shrugging her shoulders. "You should go see Madam Pomfrey."

"I will, if I don't get any better. I just don't like to bother Madam Pomfrey unless I'm really sick." Lily said shrugging.

"Okay." Hester said around a large bite of pie.

Lily loved that about Hester, the fact that she was so easy to talk with. She did not try to pry into someone's personal business and she was just happy to be around you in silence or with mindless chatter.

"Why have we not hung out more?" Lily asked grabbing another handful of candy corn and digging in. It was a question that Lily had been wondering about since hearing her friend's voice washing over the stadium.

Hester laughed, taking another bite of her pie and grabbing another piece and a handful of candy corn for herself.

"I have no idea. Maybe we should."

"We should." Lily agreed nodding her head.

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The rain still poured down, banging against the windows as Lily made her slow way back from the Great Hall. She had left Hester there to flirt with Sirius Black after talking with her for over an hour. It had been nice to sit in someone's company bantering together about random, unimportant things.

She and Alice loved to do that but it was hard to find time together now that Alice was with Frank. Since they'd gotten together Alice seemed to spend every second possible with him.

Not that Lily was upset about it, it was sad sometimes though. It almost felt as though one of her best friends had been taken away. Even though Alice was still where she was in the Gyffindor common room dwelling within Hogwarts; she just wasn't there anymore.

Her black shoes clapped gentle against the stone as Lily walked along her thoughts coming and going. Lily's stomach felt full and her head did as well although the fullness of her stomach did not make her stomach ache. Her head ached from the cold which made it feel stuffed full of snow.

Lightning flashed as Lily passed a window and she jumped looking around. The hallways were empty, most students had returned to their common rooms. Some, like Hester and Sirius still dwelt in the Great Hall eating as much as possible.

Shaking her head at herself Lily kept walking, her foot falls coming quicker than they had been. As she rounded the corner that lead to the Gyffindor Common room, a hand reached out clapping over her mouth and pulling her into an empty class room.

Grasping her wand Lily spun around shoving away from whoever was holding her and holding her wand up like a sword.

"Lumos!" She cried relieved when the tip of her wand illuminated brightly. "Remus! Bloody hell you scared me!" Lily snapped, peering at him through the gloom.

Her breath caught as she got a proper look at his face. Both of his eyes were swollen, his lip had been split open, a large bruise was forming on his cheek bone and a scratch ran the length of his neck and disappeared into his ripped shirt.

"What happened?" Lily cried. "Not another fight?" She asked frowning. James, Sirius and Peter had all been in attendance at the feast, so them getting into a fight with Remus could not have happened and besides not one of them would leave a fellow mate behind when they got hurt.

Lily's mind flashed to a few weeks earlier when Remus had asked her to heal a black eye. He had been unwilling then to tell her what had happened nor did he want James and the rest of his mates to know.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened a few weeks ago?" Lily asked listening as the murmur of voices approached the door and then vanished around the corner somewhere.

"Yeah, it does." Remus said his voice sounding gravelly. He almost sounded ashamed about what had happened.

"Do you want to tell me what it's all about?" Lily raised an eyebrow at him although in the dark she doubted he could see it.

"You would hate me if I did, Lils." Remus said messing his hair up in a James-like fashion.

"Don't be silly Remus, you're my best friend." Lily said prodding his face gently with her wand and muttering a healing charm. "Nothing you could say to me would make me hate you."

Remus shook his head. "Trust me, this would make you hate me."

Lily sighed tapping his swollen lip and watching as several days of healing appeared on the wound.

"Remus you need to report this." Lily murmured, giving up on trying to find out what was going on. If he wasn't willing to talk to her about it maybe he would open up to the headmaster or deputy headmistress.

"No," Remus said flatly, "Thanks for the help." He started heading towards the door. His voice and actions seemed cold and not at all like her Remus.

Lily sighed softly letting her wand hand drop, tapping it against her thigh. Remus was closed off, his head hung slightly.

"Remus," Lily called out as he was about to open the door. He paused half turning to look at her. "Whenever you want to talk to me, you know where I am."

Remus turned without saying a word, opened the door and paused oncemore.

"Do me a favor," Remus said looking back over his shoulder again. "Don't mention to James what happened, please."

Without waiting for an answer he walked out shutting the door behind him and leaving Lily in the half light that her wand was still casting.

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"Lily, what happened to Remus." James jumped up the moment that Lily walked into the common room and strode quickly to her side.

"Aha." Lily said.

"He won't tell me." Potter said.

"Aha." Lily said blinking.

"He looked as though someone put him through a meat grinder."

"Aha." Lily said again wishing she could get out more then just one syllable.

"Well?" James asked.

"He won't tell me." Lily said dully.

"You're his best friend." James pointed out.

"You are too." Lily said rolling her eyes.

"He went to you to be healed." James said.

"I'm aware."

"But he won't tell you what happened?" He asked suspiciously.

"No, all he said was if he told me I would hate him." Lily said.

"You would hate him?" James repeated.

"His words." Lily said shrugging. James turned without another word and hurried up the boys' stairs.

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Sunday dawned dark and gray with a thick cover of clouds that made it seem like eternal darkness. The constant gloomy weather was beginning to grate on everyone's nerves.

Lily sat in the common room with her legs tucked underneath herself as she watched the flames dance upon the hearth. Her lap was hidden underneath a colored afghan that she was busy knitting, her fingers flashing, twisting and winding the knitting needles. A steady click, click, click echoed in the still common room and a few voices buzzed in the corner of the room as some of the students had returned, already finished with breakfast.

Someone dropped down on the couch next to her causing Lily to bounce up and down. The knitting needle that Lily was holding stabbed into her palm and she cursed, sniffing as she glared at the person who sat next to her.

"Rude, James." Lily set the knitting down to examine her hand.

When she had first started this knitting project she'd had no idea who it would be for. Now, looking at the vibrant reds and gentle gold's of the afghan there was no way around it.

An idea solidified in her mind as she meet the stormy eyes of James.

"You lied."

"What?" Lily asked lifting up her knitting needles and starting to stitch again.

"I said, you lied. You knew something was going on with Remus and you said nothing. You hid it from us." He waved his hand around as though he wanted Lily to realize what kind of 'us' he meant.

"James….."

"Stop with that gentle, innocent voice Lily. It's not fooling anyone. You knew that something was going wrong with Remus, that someone was hurting him and all you did was keep it to yourself."

"He made me promise." Lily said.

"Then, when I asked you what happened you said you didn't know!" James ranted on, seemingly ignoring her.

"Because I don't know what happened! Just that someone's been hurting Remus!" Lily insisted.

"You should have said something the first time." He accused.

"I promised not to." She repeated.

"You know that they cracked his ribs?" James demanded.

"Yes, I healed him. James, I was only trying to help my friend."

"Yeah, our friend, someone you kept information to yourself about when you should have come to us and asked for help. He's in way over his head and you, as his friend, should have said something!"

Lily blinked at him, feeling about eight inches tall at the moment. She had only done as Remus had asked, yet now she seemed to be doing exactly what she had been afraid of; losing the new found friendship that she and James had developed.

"Whatever, Lily." James's voice was laced with anger and irritation. He stood up and stomped away, up into the boys' room, leaving Lily to stare sadly after him.

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(Arya: And the plot is thickening.)

(Sirius: Don't you mind the potion?)

(Arya: I think it is the same difference Sirius.)

(Sirius: No it is not.)

(Arya: Fine, the potion thickens. Stay tuned for another update. Sorry this one took so long. All I can say about that is both myself and my beta reader went out on vacation and then we did not touch bases for a little while but now we are back.)

(Sirius: Still do not see how swimming is a vacation.)

(Arya: Guys in swim trunks, shirtless….that is a good vacation!)

(Sirus: I am male. I do not want to see another male shirtless!)

(Arya: Then it is a good thing that you are not coming.)

(Sirius: Mean.)

(Arya: Yes, I am. Please take a moment to review sweet people. If it be to comment on the chapter, on how long it took me to update, or how wonderful the chapter was to read or knew What James Potter must not do idea's. Just drop me a line! See you next Wensday!)

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**For list of the things James Potter is not allowed to do...ever...**

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

3) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of the firer.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a stormy.


	6. Chapter 6 It's All About Blood

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling, and all characters belong to her. I just get to play with them.

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Chapter Six

It's all about blood.

A stranger stabs you in the front; a friend stabs you in the back; a boyfriend stabs you in the heart but best friends only poke each other with straws. –author unknown

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As fall faded into winter, the skies outside Hogwarts had darkened creating a false night during the day. Snow fell rapidly outside, and the grounds keeper, Hagrid, struggled to keep pathways to and from the castle open.

Within every classroom, large welcoming fires burned and students found themselves reluctant to leave the warmth of each for the next. The coldness in the hallways dug deep into their bones and turned their breath into frosty mist. Many students were given detention by Filch for conjuring a small jar of fire in the hope they could stay warm in the next class.

Lily had heard Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall giggling about needing someone to warm their beds. It had come as a shock to hear teachers speak like that, but, with the chill that hovered in the air even with roaring firers, Lily secretly agreed. Being able to share body heat with someone else would be a mite warmer than layering on blankets.

Though the weather outside was frightful and cold, it was nothing compared to the frigid tension that surrounded Lily and James. Since finding out that Lily had not reported what was going on with Remus, James had refused to speak to Lily. He went out of his way to avoid her and, whenever they did cross paths, the air was so thick with tension one could cut it with a knife.

As head girl, Lily knew she had a duty to up hold Hogwarts rules. Which meant she need to report any bullying to one of the teachers. As a friend, though, Lily had a duty to Remus not to betray his confidence, and, if she could, help him out of the situation. If she ran off and told a teacher what Remus had told her, she'd run the risk of losing a friend.

In protecting Remus, though, Lily had ruined the new found friendship between James and her. With his anger towards her, Lily was reminded of how childish James could be. With mutual anger boiling inside them Lily and James refused to speak to each other or do head rounds together. Instead, they switched days, giving one of them the night off while the other patrolled the hallways.

While James most often patrolled with Sirius and his group, Lily wandered the corridors alone, jogging the length of them to keep herself warm. It was in those solitary hours, between ten and midnight, that Lily tried to figure out why someone would want to harm Remus.

Any way Lily looked at it, it did not make sense. Remus was not the kind of person who made enemies. Like all men, he did have a mischievous side that would get him in trouble with professors while entertaining students. Slytherins did tend to bug him, but a good whack across their heads and they went running away with their tails between their legs. The feud between Slytherins and Gryffindors was long standing, but thus far, no one had been picked as the main target from Gryffindor.

Lily sighed, rounding the final corner before she reached the stair cases leading out from the dungeons. Something swished behind her, the slight squeak of a shoe on stone. Lily turned around, hand reaching for her wand, and was faced with an empty hallway.

"The wind," Lily decided, finally turning back around and making her way out of the dungeons. Lily's feet tread lightly on the ground, her cloak making barely a swish as she rounded corners, and still the squeak seemed to follow her as Lily made her way back towards the common room.

A door further down the corridor opened and Lily paused, raising her wand which she still clutched in her hand.

Something tall, swathed in shadows was emerging from the classroom. The figure paused turning it head towards the torch light.

Snape.

Hooked nose, shallow skin, and oily hair, he stood several inches taller than Lily. His face was twisted into a kind of menacing smile which he dropped at once when he saw Lily.

"Severus, you know we are not allowed out after curfew," Lily said by way of greeting. She moved closer to Severus, trying to peer into the door way he was blocking. All she could see was black shadows within the classroom, although she was sure there were soft whispers a moment before.

"I know." Severus said his voice little more than a whisper. He had taken to speaking like that recently as though he didn't remember how to speak in a normal tone.

Lily watched him as he swept out of the room the rest of the way, snapping the door shut behind him. "Why are you out this late, Sev?" Lily asked finally, lowering her wand and pocketing it. Severus watched the motion, his black eyes missing nothing.

"I fancied a walk," Severus said, almost gliding over to where Lily was standing, "Finishing rounds?"

"Yes," Lily said then gave him a smile, "I'm sorry but I will have to report you. And take five points away from Slytherin.

Severus nodded, his lips twitching into a smile, "Of course….I will see you again, Lily. Very soon," He turned on his heel and strolled off towards the common room.

She watched him go, feeling unsettled; she had known Severus had changed since they had last spoken. Lily had not known, though, how very creepy Severus was, it was almost like he fancied himself a vampire or one of those masked figures who was killing off muggle borns.

Severus would not do that though, not the sweet sensitive boy that Lily knew.

"But you do not really know who he is anymore, do you?" A voice in her head drawled.

"Shut up." Lily thought, finally tuning and heading back to the common room as the cold air caused goose bumps to raise on her arms and made her shake.

Severus was in Slytherin house, and there was no other house that turned out more dark wizards than Slytherin.

Preoccupied with thoughts of Snape, she didn't notice the journey back to the common room, or clambering through the portrait hole.

A blast of warm air warped itself around Lily holding her tight. Lily drew further into the room, turning her back to the fire places and warming her bones. Lily yawned as feeling came back into her limbs and all thoughts, but tumbling into her bed, went out the door.

Leaving the fire and heading to the girls' staircase Lily turned as she heard the swishing sound of the portrait hole, one foot resting on the staircases.

Sirius clambered through a smug look on his face and lipstick smeared on his collar. "Oh, hello, Red," he called smirking as he swaggered into the room.

"Curfew was two hours ago," Lily pointed out hands on her hip.

"Must have lost track of time," Sirius said lazily bending down and warming his hands in front of the fire.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Lily said hotly.

"So you will up hold the curfew rule, but not bullying? You know you should run for Minister, they get to pick and chose what rules to follow," Sirius said coolly, storming up into the boys dorm room, and leaving Lily gaping behind him.

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The rest of the week passed without instant, and Monday morning dawned cold and white. outside the windows, the snow had stopped falling at last, leaving behind a Winter wonder land. Since Lily had taken points from both Slytherin and Gryffindor house, James had taken over rounds. Leaving Lily with the evenings free for homework, which she had quite a bit of.

With the coming holidays, the Hogwarts teachers where piling homework on, trying to cram last minute lessons into their heads. Seventh year had it worst of all, their homework load was so big that all extra time was spent working on it.

A ministry official had come into their Transfigurations class at the start of last week, trying to bring about enthusiasm for Ministry work. It reminded Lily of Uncle Sam during muggle war time coming out and saying I want you….The Ministry Official did so much inspiring about Ministry jobs, though, that he left with a long list of names of students who wanted more information.

At half past eight on Monday, Lily scrambled out of bed, yanking her uniform on, and ran for class. So warm had her bed been, that she had not wanted to get out of it. Halfway to the transfiguration corridor, Lily came to a halt.

Peeves was hovering several feet in the air juggling umbrellas and cackling.

"Move please," Lily said to which Peeves blew a loud raspberry. "Come on Peeves I'm already running late!" Lily snapped stepping closer.

She let out a muffled scream, to arms wrapped around her hauling Lily into a broom cupboard.

"Shush, it is only me," Severus hissed.

Lily spun around eyes narrowing, "What the ruddy hell, Sev? Who yanks someone into a broom cupboard?" She glanced at her upside down watch, she had five minutes to get to classes before she was late.

"Shush, keep your voice down," Severus muttered throwing a look around him a though someone may hear them. He reached into his robes pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment and thrust it at her.

"What's this?" Lily asked taking it from Severus and starting to unroll it.

"Not here," Severus hissed, shoving it into Lily's school bag. "It's a favor I need you to do," He whispered, "Just follow the instructions, it's not until the end of the month. Please?" He asked, eyes pleading.

Lily glanced again at her watch, "Okay, I'll take a look," she said tossing the door open and launching herself down the hallway. Lily just made it, dropping into her seat as the final bell rang.

Remus dropped down next to her, giving Lily a smile. Lily smiled back suppressing a sigh. Now, on top of Remus, her fight with James, and homework, she had just promised to help Sev with his problem.

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Hushed voices murmured within the library, muffled even more by the rows of books that surrounded them. Lily made her way slowly down the stacks, her finger running along the books spines.

She paused half way down the row, tugging Goblin Rebellions of 1818 down and tucking it under her arm.

Behind the shelf, soft voices rose. Curious, Lily peered though the slight gap between the books. Remus stood there. His voice soft, he was leaning back against the shelf, arms crossed. A girl was standing there, her arms also crossed, with a look that reminded Lily of Black.

"I do not understand why my cousins suddenly have a interest in who I am friends with," the girl was saying.

Lily frowned, it was not right for her to be standing here eavesdropping on one of he best friends. Yet, no matter how much she thought she needed to stay put, Lily stayed. This conversation seemed vital in figuring out how to help Remus.

"It is no big deal, Nymph," Remus said, glancing around. "We just need to be careful."

The girl nodded before waving and darting out of site. Lily drew her lips into a tight line. Without thinking about it, Lily moved around to the other side of the shelf to where Remus was standing.

"Remus?" Lily asked, stopping at the end of the shelf, clutching her book tight against her chest.

Remus turned a look of surprise flittering across his face, "Lily, hello."

"New friend?" Lily asked nodding in the direction that the girl had walked in.

"Er, yes," Remus said, "I have been helping her with homework."

Lily frowned, "Do you like her?" Lily asked.

"She is half my age!" Remus said.

"So? My Dad is six and a half years older than my mom," Lily said.

Remus shook his head, "I am her friend. And until she is of age, all she is going to be is my friend. Even when she is of age, she may as well stay just my friend."

Lily peered at him, noble Remus who would never raise a wand in anger, or take advantage of anyone; especially someone who was many years his younger. No matter how Lily tried to look at it all, she could not see Remus as a cradle robber.

His new found friendship with the young girl was more than likely the cause of the bullying. Now, they just need to figure out how to get the Slytherins to back off.

"Come on," Lily said, "You should not be out and about by yourself.

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White puffs of breath mingled in the winter air; students huddled together, trying to gather warmth. Many of them were regretting their decisions to step out into the cold winter air during morning break, despite the snow stopping it, felt almost as though the weather had dropped another ten degrees.

"This has to be one of the coldest winters in history," Hester said, stomping her feet into the snow and rubbing her hands together.

"Yeah," Lily agreed, shoving her mittened hands into her arm pits. Her eyes swept the white grounds, blinking against the harsh glare of sunlight that peeked through the grey clouds.

A series of loud explosions behind them made several students scream, Lily spun around, and Hester lost her footing landing with a soft bump onto the ground.

"Oh, those boys!" Alice said, half exasperated, helping Hester up from the ground.

James, Sirius, Peter and Remus had set of a series of fireworks in the snow, the bright colored sparklers hung in the air lighting brilliant shades of multiply colors.

Three of the bigger ones rose higher into the air, a lion, a raven and a badger glimmered in the air; underneath the animals in scarlet letting it red, Gryffindor for House Cup.

Several of the students clapped loudly, the scattered Slytherins booed and hissed. James and Sirius took a bow, forcing Remus to do the same who was as bright as a tomato.

Lily rolled her eyes grinning along with the rest as the fireworks show slowly finished and the sparks drifted back down towards the ground.

"What show offs," Hester commented as the bell rang in the distance and half frozen students began forcing their way through the snow shivering.

"They always have been," Lily said, watching Remus out of the corner of her eye. He seemed to be a little more tense now, his neck slouched slightly as though he was trying not to be noticed. Lily looked back further to see a group of Slytherins, lead by Lucius Malfoy and Regulus Black.

Hester sensed her friend's distraction and looked around, "Everything Okay Lily?"

"Yeah," Lily said, tearing her eyes away from the Slytherins as they mounted the stone steps up into the castle.

"He will come around," Alice said wisely and Lily raised an eyebrow at her confused, "James. That was who you were looking at wasn't?" She asked.

Lily shook her head no, "Just getting another look at the snow," Lily said off hardly and leading the way upstairs towards Charms.

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The Great Hall was loud and cheerful the next day when Lily strolled in for breakfast. Sitting down, Lily pulled the oatmeal towards herself, pouring some into her bowl.

A buzz filled the air with the excitement of the approaching weekend. Many Gryffindors at the table made plans for trips out into the snowy field out of doors.

Glancing up, Lily saw the, now familiar, look of grey and black clouds blocking out the sunlight and threatening snow fall again.

She ate fast, barely giving her bowl of breakfast time to cool as she shoveled it down into her mouth.

Lily had slept late that morning the false dark outside throwing off her internal alarm clock. She had only fifteen minutes before she need to meet Snape down towards the dungeon.

Shoving her juice and porridge away from her, Lily swung her bag up onto her shoulder and walked off towards the dungeons.

Her mind drifted back towards the conversation Snape and she had the night before, just before curfew. The past few days had been the most they had spoken to each other since the start of sixth year. Severus had never sounded more cryptic then he had last night, hinting about dark arts and needing to stay safe.

Thinking about it now as Lily made her way down towards the dungeons ,which were fringed with cold, brought goosebumps to her arms.

Something was very off, either Severus was finally off of his rocker or he thought what he was saying was true. Maybe in some way it was, but Lily could not see how his vague hints of danger and dark tidings could fit into what was going on out in the "real" world as Severus said it did.

Cold wind buffered against Lily, billowing her cloak, grabbing the two cloak edges, she yanked it closer to her trying to trap the warmth against her. The slight heel of Lily boots made a small clip clap on the stone floor.

Lily turned down a left passage, her eyes searching the dark hallway before slipping into the first class room on the left side. Reaching out, she yanked it open and walked into the class room shutting the door behind her. Severus was already there sitting on one of the desk, legs swinging, and a small jar of fire burning trying to ward of the cold.

Lily smiled slightly, cold never bothered Severus, he enjoyed it, but he knew that Lily did not. Which was why, Lily assumed, that he had a small ball of fire burning as he waited for her.

"Hello, Severus," Lily said slipping up onto the desk beside him enjoying the fire's small warmth. "So what's up?" Lily asked, she did not want to stay down here any longer then she had too. It felt almost as though the shadows were closing in around her, wrapping cold tendrils of fingers along her arms and squeezing tightly. Severus glanced around, his breath making a slight puff into the air, "Did you tell anyone you were meeting me Lily?" He asked, his voice oily. Lily shook her head, "No, why would I have?" She asked confused, Severus was acting so odd. Severus shrugged his shoulders, "Just wanted to be sure. I do not want this getting back to anyone about us meeting," He said, his black eyes searching the dungeon as though expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. "Why not? Does it really matter that we're…err friends?" Lily asked stumbling over the words. Severus and her had not really been friends for a while, or at less not close friends, still though, Lily had put aside a morning of studying to come down and meet him. That counted for something at least. "No, well, yes it does." Severus said and Lily frowned at him.

He was not going to go off on the pure blood thing like so many others were. The news paper was littered with it, snide comments from reporters and the Slytherins of the school, while speaking in whispers about it, still showed their support.

"Because I am a mudblood?" Lily asked.

Severus nodded his head, it stung just as bad when he had called her a mudblood last year. "Blood counts for a lot more then you think, Lily," He said in his oily voice, "Especially now with the new order of things. You would do well to show where your loyalties really lay."

"My loyalties lay with my friends and with this school," Lily said flatly.

Severus shook his head with a bemused sort of look on his face, "Lily your friends are the worst blood traitors of them all, and they will die in this new order. You, however, have a chance. You're an extraordinary witch and have been since you where very young. You simply have to prove yourself worthy." Severus said, his voice, though still oily, raising a few octaves towards his old tones.

"I'm not sure I like what your implying," Lily said, standing up from where she had been sitting on the desk, "In fact I know I do not. Blood should not matter, and you should be smarter than to get mixed up with a bunch of loons who think it does. It's about talent! Not whose blood line is pure; as for getting wrapped up in them, I would never, in a thousand years, betray friends, school. or family because of a little pure blood. Besides that, I'm a muggle born remember?"

"But you do not understand," Severus said, his voice sounding pleading, "You simply have to pass the test they have set up for you. They will let you live then. Pass the test and swear to support the other side. It is the only way you are going to live through this," Severus had also stood up from the desk his pale face drawn up tight and his eyes pleading with Lily's.

Lily spun around, "Like I said Severus, you would be idiotic to get yourself caught up in these matters. As for swearing allegiances to any side, if it comes to that, I think I will stick with the side I am on thanks," She crossed the room to the door, reaching out and twisting the knob.

"Lily the test will happen rather you want it to or not. You will eventually come over to our side and see it my way, you have already ditched Potter…..But you have to pass this test or else they will kill you with the others when they rise to power," Each word he said, they seemed to be punctuated with his fist hitting the desk on which the jar of blue fire sat, it moved closer and closer to the edge until it finally toppled off and smashed on the floor, "I know what the test is. Let me help you get ready for it!"

Lily did not have to turn around to know his face would be pleading, she opened the door slamming it behind her.

The corridor felt colder than it had moments earlier when she had walked into the dudgeons. Lily took the stairs two at a time back up towards the rest of the school, and sanity.

Severus had obviously gone of his rocker. Lily knew that, outside of school, things where looking grim, there was a mad man on the loose killing at random. Each of those were isolated incidences though and quickly handled by the Ministry of Magic.

The Daily Prophet had not mentioned anything about "someone raising to power" or "seizing control" and getting ridded of the "blood traitors and muggle borns."

Lily suspected that it would be front page news if something like that was going on. It made sense to warn everyone about what was happening to better to keep them protected.

At the top of the staircase, Lily paused caching her breath. Severus obviously thought there was going to be some kind of test for her or that someone was arranging for her to undergo some kind of test. The smart thing to do would be go straight to the Head Master and tell him what she had heard.

Yet Lily hesitated, what would she say anyway? That Severus had taken a crack to the head and was sputtering on about pure bloods and testing impure blood?

Lily highly doubted the Head Master would believe a word she was saying, Lily barely believed what Severus had told her herself.

The smart thing to do was to steer clear of Severus, and his pure blood ideas; as well as steering clear of Potter and his mightier than thou ways.

Lily had enough trouble on her plate without searching for some more, and James bred trouble while Severus seemed to be tempting it now.

Lily searched her mind for the last time she had seen Severus, at the end of last year. The mad glint in his eyes that Lily had seen today had definitely not been there.

Shaking a shiver off, which crept up her spine and lodged in her heart, Lily headed towards Gryffindor tower. Although Lily tried to block them, out Lily could remember something James had told her during one of their very first conversations back in fist year.

'Not a witch or wizard that didn't go bad in Slytherin.'

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(Sirius: That git, I always knew he was a bad apple.)

(Arya: Who? Snape?)

(Sirius: Yeah, him.)

(Arya: I think he just wants-)

(Sirius: Wants power.)

(Arya *Sigh*)

(Sirius: The slime ball really needs to wash is hair and keep his very large nose out of things that do not concern him. Lily is just fine without him. She has James-well OK they're not speaking but she has better friends than that…that…disgusting booger that hovers at the end of someone's nose!)

(Arya: I think we get it Sirius!)

(Sirius: Severus is the slimiest, dirtiest-)

(Arya: Okay then. While Sirius finds other words to insult Severus with, please drop me an owl on your thoughts of the chapter. Thanks!)

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**Full list of the things James Potter is not allowed to do...ever...**

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of the fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.


	7. Chapter 7 The Test

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling and all characters are hers. I just get to mess with them.

Chapter Eight

The Test

There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.- Edgar Allen Poe

A deep sense of excitement hung about Hogwarts castle; November was drawing to a close and, as the days of the month crossed out, fewer and fewer odd occurrences were reported. The Daily Prophet, which had been littered with murders and disappearances, had moved on to more mundane things which, while important, were not as worrisome as the old headlines. It was the common opinion in Hogwarts that whoever had been committing the murders, had been caught by the Ministry and they did not know it, or had been killed.

Outside a winter wonderland lay, heaps of fresh fallen snow piled up on the ground. Small piles of snow would dump down, from the trees, upon the ground, and upon any student unfortunate enough to be standing beneath one. The lake had a great sheen of ice upon it, which many students skated away the hours until dinner time on, neglecting their piles of homework.

It was hard to not feel the spirit of the holidays when, outside the school, it looked like a scene from a Christmas card. Some first years had built snowmen, each one of them wearing a house scarf. James and Sirius, with Remus help, had bewitched the snowmen to sing carols.

During morning breaks, the court yard rang with laughter, as students watched snowmen not only sing, but also dance along to their tunes.

The dungeons, when Lily descended them that Saturday, felt cold and drafty as always. Torches hissed in their brackets, flames cast, eerie looking shadows on the walls as their flames threatened to go out. Although Lily was several feet from the dungeon in which Slughorn threw his parties, Lily could hear the rise and fall of voices over the fine chords of music.

Suddenly feeling nervous, Lily lifted a hand to her blouse pulling it straight for the tenth time in an hour. Next to her, Remus let out a slight laugh and Lily gave him a slight smile. Lily was not sure why she felt so many butterflies in her stomach at the prospect of this party. She had been to many of Slughorn's bashes before, they were all pretty straight forward.

Remus seemed to think it had something to do with Lily seeing James, but Lily saw James all the time. Neither one of them had refused to budge on the no talking thing, although, a dozen times, Lily had found herself opening her mouth to say sorry before she remembered they were not speaking.

Perhaps, it was the fact that Lily knew the rumors that were floating through the hallways about James.  
Potter seemed to have stopped pinning after Evans, and had invited a date to the latest Slughorn party.  
Lily knew she had no right to feel jealous about this, especially after what she had put James through.  
James deserved a lot better than a girl who would not tell him when one of his best friends was getting hurt.

Lily had been trying to keep Remus safe, but in turn had ended up destroying the budding relationship James and she had.  
In protecting one friend, Lily had ruined a friendship between James and herself. Lily was sure that there could have been other ways to go about the situation, but, as far as Lily could see, it was the best way.

The dungeon was covered when Lily finally stepped into the room, Remus at her side. James was standing in the corner of the room, near the fireplaces enjoying the warmth of the fire. A tall girl was standing next to him clinging to every word that came out of his mouth. Lily could see a few other people standing around them, but none of them seemed to be hanging upon every word that James was saying. Lily felt her hackles rise, as she let her eyes slip from James group to the rest of those in the dungeon. While there was a few from other houses, the majority of people were Slytherins.

A long table sat against the far side of the wall, laden with many different snacks and finger foods.  
Lily hovered near the doorway, standing next to Remus who did not seem anymore keen on entering a dungeon full of Slytherins than Lily did.

Slughorn was standing at the table, eating a cup cake and already eyeing another one, his piggy eye homing in on the most appealing looking one to him.

"May as well go say hello to Slughorn, then maybe we can leave," Lily said to Remus, refusing to let her eye's wander back to James. A small heat had began burning in both her cheeks, whether it was from anger or jealousy, Lily was not able to figure it out.

"Okay," Remus agreed readily, leading the way across the covered dungeon, to where Slughorn had started on the second cupcake he had been eyeing.

Reaching the table, Lily scooped up a cupcake with pink frosting and began nibbling on it. "Hello, Slughorn," Lily said, taking another bite of her cupcake, and enjoying the rich sugary taste of pink frosting.

"Hello, Evans," Slughorn said at once, his mouth full of cake and frosting, he paused for a moment and wiped his mouth swallowing before he spoke again. "And Lupin, welcome," He said with far less delight than he'd had when he had greeted Evans.

Lily frowned slightly glancing at Remus, who had started eating a chocolate frosted cupcake with interest.

"Wonderful you could come Evans, did you see that Spreling has attend as well? You two seemed to have gotten on well the last party," Slughorn said in a too loud sort of voice. Lily's face burned hotter at his words. "Oh, Potter," He said, and patting Lily on the hand so she dropped the rest of her cupcake, he bustled away, his bottom swaying back and forth.

"Wonder what that was about," Lily said meaning Slughorn's coldness towards Remus.

"I think, he thinks you and Spreling would make a good couple. If he was not a Ravenclaw and my best mate did not fancy you, I would agree." Remus said, licking his fingers free of frosting, as he had just finished his cupcake.

Lily snorted, shaking her head. She had no desire to date anyone at the moment, although if she and James were to make up and James would ask her out Lily would not have an issue saying yes.

"You should speak with him," Remus said, noticing where Lily was, once again, looking. Lily blushed brightly at how transparent she was being, and looked away. If Remus had seen her looking at James, had James noticed her straying?

More to avoid answering than being hungry, Lily picked up another cupcake biting into it. Trying her best to not look at James, Lily studied those about the classroom. While many of them were familiar faces, there was a few Lily did not know. A young girl with a heart shaped face wearing yellow; a young man with a sour expression wearing Slytherin colors.

Lily assumed these were first and second years who showed some kind of talent. For a few minutes, Lily amused herself by trying to guess what Slughorn saw in them. Some would be here because of blood, their families being very influential, being one of the last pure bloods left; others, like Lily, showed some kind of talent in one thing or another. The sour face boy was probably there because of his family and blood. Lily thought for another moment about the girl, then decided it was blood as well.

Slughorn put a lot of faith into blood lines, not that he did not have an eye for talent. Many of those he invited, had some talent or another that Slughorn would go on about as if he had a hand developing the talent.

"Or maybe I should speak with him," Remus said and Lily looked at him slightly confused, her mouthful of chocolate fudge cupcake.

She swallowed quickly, choked once, and coughed before being able to speak, "I thought we already agreed you would speak to James about what was happening?"

"Yeah I did," Remus said although Lily had a feeling that was not what he had meant, "Suppose I best say hello to him," Remus said and Lily nodded in agreement.

While Lily did not wan him to leave her alone it was not fair of her to have him ignore his best mates.

"Be right back," Remus promised and Lily gave him a small wave, starting on a third cupcake.

The music that hummed in the back ground seemed to grow louder in Remus absence. Lily recognized the tune as one of Mozart's symphony; someone who, according to Slughorn, had been a squib.

Nibbling on her third cupcake, Lily slowly moved away from the buffet. To be polite, she would nod or smile whenever someone spoke to her, most of them were Slytherins and Lily had no interest in getting to know them.

From where she was standing now Lily was standing straight across from James. She could see Remus speaking to him, in what she assumed was low tones as James had to lean in to hear him. As though he knew Lily was looking at him, James pulled his gaze away from Remus and looked at Lily. Lily looked away quickly, taking another nibble of her cupcake.

A white light reflected against her eye and Lily blinked hard. No one else seemed to have noticed the light, although James was still looking at her hard. The dudgeon door had been left open, and from the gloom beyond it someone was playing with lightening spells.

Glancing around, Lily saw that no one else seemed to have seen the spells in the hallway. Taking another nibble of her cupcake, she made her way slowly out of the dungeon, chewing her cupcake thoughtfully.  
As soon as Lily stepped out into the hallway, the flickering wand light went out, as did the torches that lined the way to the dungeon.

"Weird," Lily said, turning around to step back into the dungeon, the hair on the back of her neck was standing up. The door leading back into the dungeon seemed to have vanished; Lily knew that she had not gone more than a couple of steps outside of the room.

Something moved up ahead, and Lily squinted through the darkness, automatically reaching into her robe's pocket for her wand. Her hand found nothing but clothes, her wand was not where she had stored in her robe pockets before coming down.

Lily dug deeper into her robe pocket, feeling along the wall for the door to the dungeon, and finding nothing.

'You just have to pass the test.'

Severus had said she would be tested, although he did not say when. Most of his threats, though, had always turned out to be a bunch of air. A cold shiver crept up her spine. How much had Severus changed in the past two years? How far had he sank into the dark arts, and how many others had he already lead down that path.

Something rustled in front of her, and Lily squinted through the darkness. There were no windows down here and with the torches gone it made it darker than midnight in the hallway.

"Crucio," a voice hissed out of the darkness, and Lily trembled, falling to her knees, as white hot pain lanced up and down her spine and into her belly. Lily's mind felt scrambled like an egg being broken up and whipped to make scrambled eggs. A fine sweat broke out between her shoulders blades and the cleavage between her breasts.  
"Imperio," the voice said again, and a white fog fell over Lily's mind. The pain was still there burning through her body, setting her teeth on edge and her heart racing.

Somewhere in the white fog, she could hear the same lazy voice whispering crucio.

The pain throbbed in her stomach and she drifted her mind, unable to focus on what was happening.  
All she knew, was that if she let the fog lift from her mind, then the pain would be back and she wanted to simply stay here. Even as she thought this a voice in the back of her mind whispered how silly that thought was.

Pain only lasted a short time and then it was gone, no need to waste away in her mind where she was not able to do anything.

"Come here," the voice said, and Lily took a step forward before pausing. It was a silly thing to do really, walk into an unforeseen circumstance. She had no idea who was the one commanding her to come forward, and it would not be smart of her to walk forward without her wand.

"Come here," the voice said again.

Lily shook her head, or at least she thought she had, her mind still felt bogged down and drifting.

"Come to me," the voice said again a note of anger in the voice.

Lily felt herself frowning, if he was getting mad, then she need to obey him. After all, he was the one in charge.

She went to take another step forward. but again she paused. 'A bit stupid, listening to a voice I do not even know,' a voice said in the back of her mind. 'No, better to sit and wait…'

There was a soft humph and reality came rushing back to Lily. Her body ached and felt sticky as the sweat quickly dried in the coolness of the hallway.

Lily's bottom ached, and her ankle felt sore. She had both stepped forward, and sat down at the same time. Torches flicked up and down the hallway, as though they had never stopped burning.

A few feet from where Lily was, sitting on the floor of the dungeon door, was a jar. Loud music was still playing strong, as though trying to drown out students' voices. At the end of the hallway, Severus and Avery was standing. Lily only knew Avery by face, she had often seen him with Severus at meals and break times.

Severus looked as though Christmas had come early; his friend looked rather impressed.

"You did it Lily!" Severus said, sounding delighted. He hurried over to her, helping her to her feet.

Lily jerked away almost falling, but the touch of Severus' hands made her stomach roll worse than it had been.

"That is talent there, not many people can throw off the cruciatus curse. Very few in fact. Our Lord will be pleased with you. Very pleased. I do not think it will matter really that you're muggle born will it, Avery?"

Lily dug into the pocket of her robes, although she knew her wand would not be there. Severus was still standing close by. Maybe a good solid kick in the nuts would do him some good. Maybe then he would get the hint that she was not interested in anything he had to say, or offer about the dark arts.

The dungeon door opened a bit wider and Lily looked up, Severus scowled at the interruption. Sirius was making his way out of the dungeon, a pretty blond was by his side. He stopped half way out catching sight of Severus and Lily. Lily suddenly realized how close Severus was standing to her; close enough that if one of them leaned in, their lips would touch. Lily's stomach rolled more at the thought.

Sirius eyes were smoky, but his voice was very calm when he spoke, "I always thought you were better than this. Guess I was wrong. You and Snivels should be very happy together," He turned and walked back inside, the blond following looking very put out.

Lily swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat. She shoved Severus hard catching him off guard he landed on the floor.

Severus looked wounded, as if he had actually thought that Lily would be happy. As if he thought having her attacked would have her falling into his arms, begging to join forces with him and learn the Dark Arts.

"Miss Evans, what is going on?" Slughorn had appeared in the doorway. Lily wondered if Sirius had informed him that students were being touchy in the hallway.

Even if he had not Lily was incredibly grateful Slughorn had shown up. He could deal with Severus and she could go lie down somewhere.

A few students were peeking out around Slughorn's wide body at the scene. Lily swallowed twice, she did not want to vomit in front of everyone, before answering, "Snape was just practicing a new curse he learned," Lily said, rather proud that she had gotten a full sentence out without spewing her stomach contents. Her stomach twisted and Lily clamped her lips together hard.

Slughorn was looking at Snape, who was stilly lying on the floor, as though he were a bug he wanted to squish. "Lupin," He said his eyes never leaving Snape, "Take Miss. Evans to the hosptail wing," Remus stepped forward, his lips turned down in a frown. Lily looked at him, and then at James, who had been standing behind him.

Again her stomach twisted; Lily opened her mouth and her stomach contents came rushing out. They splashed on the floor, onto Snape's robes and into her hair. Lily felt her face burning bright red, and she wished the floor would swallow her up. Shaking, Lily wiped a hand across her mouth, feeling her face burned, Remus seemed to be unsure if he was safe to approach her, Slughorn was wrinkling his nose, although he did not say anything. Lily's eyes slipped to James surprised to see, not revulsion at the contents of her stomach being spewed on the floor, but worry about her. His fists were clenched, he was biting his lip hard as if he was very mad about something; he glanced at Snape, and Lily understood. He was worried about her, worried what Severus had done, and by the look on his face, wanted to pound Severus in the ground.

"Come on, Lily," Remus said at last, and Lily sighed in relief as Remus led her away from the dungeons, up the staircases, and towards the hospital wing. Remus put his arm around Lily's shoulders, despite the heavy smell of vomit, although neither of them spoke as they walked.

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Lily was stuck in the hospital wing for three days hidden behind tall curtains that Madam Pomfrey had set out around her bed. The tale of what had happened down in the dudgeon went from person to person, changing with every telling. It was common knowledge, though, that Severus had used some kind of curse on Lily, for reasons not known, although they suspected it was because Lily did not return his feelings.

Hester, Alice, and Remus, where in and out of the hospital wing, between breaks, and before and after classes in the mornings and afternoons. Lily's bed was surrounded by boxes of candies and large vases of flowers and bunches of cards.

The first time Lily had woken up her hand had been laying on something satin and soft. Alice or Hester had tucked Bunny, her stag, into her arms while she slept. Yet when Lily had inquired about it, her friends had laughed, neither one of them admitting to having done it, although she wanted to pursue the subject. Lily had shoved the stag into the bottom of her trunk when James and her stopped speaking, she was happy to have the comfort of the stag.

Snape had tried a few times to come and speak with Lily, but Lily had pretended to be sleeping and he had left. As far as Lily knew, Snape had been put into detention for the rest of the school year. He had also lost about a hundred and twenty five points from the Slytherin house.

Why he still thought that Lily would want to speak to him after what he and his friend had done, was beyond Lily. Apparently, he had still thought that Lily would fall into his arms thankful that he had proven her worthy of living in his made up little world with his "Lord."

Although what Lord he was talking about, Lily did not know. There were some unexplained disappearances and a few killings that did not point to anything more than just a bunch of trouble makers getting up to no good.

Whatever once said about Slytherin house, how everyone who ever went through it turned out bad, was true. Lily had always thought that maybe Snape was above those ideals, yet her faith did not seem to have been well placed.

Lily did not think she could put much stock in her trust or feelings right now. She had trusted Snape and been happy he was becoming her friend again. She had trusted her friendship with James and allowed herself to begin falling for him. She had trusted Remus that he would stop the bullying, she had been hopeful that he would. Yet all that trust and feelings had been a huge waste. Snape had used to horrible curses on her, trying to break her will power and get her to join forces with the dark arts. She had put faith in James and then that had fallen apart because she had trusted in her old bonded friendship with Remus. She had trusted Remus that he would do something about the bullying, say something, try to put an end to it. As far as Lily could see, though, he had not spoken up, although the dead line she had given had not yet passed. Still though, Lily could not put much faith any anything at the moment.

She was cold, tired, achy, sore and downright cranky. It seemed that all her effort in being grown up, casting the cloak of childhood off, and dealing with her own problems and issues, had all back fired in her face.

Lily could have gone to the headmaster and told him what Snape had said. Instead Lily had chosen to treat it as a joke, she had doubted that Snape would ever do anything to harm her. Again Lily could have again gone to the headmaster when Remus began being beaten but, again she had not. She had put more stock in friendship and let Remus keep getting himself beat up. Because she had not told the headmaster or James about what was happening, she had lost that building friendship.  
It was a very twisted web she had weaved.

As Lily lie, looking up at the hospital wing ceiling, she realized another friendship that she had let be ruined. Sirius Black.

His words about her and Snape deserving each other haunted about her mind while she had tried to rest, in the times when the girls or Remus had not been about.

With a sigh Lily rolled over onto her side clutching the stag closely to her chest and shutting her eyes. Madam Pomfrey was sitting in her office the door half open and Lily could hear soft voice beyond it and Lily wondered if she had missed someone coming in during her musings.

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It was late when Lily was finally released from the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had insisted on checking her over one more time; as Lily had not been able to recall the spells that had been used on her Madam Pomfrey had treated her with an array of potions.  
While she had been stuck in the hospital wing, snow had started falling again adding to the large piles all ready surrounding Hogwarts. Every torch in the castle had been lit to ward of the dark and chill of winter.

Excitement about the holidays had tripled in the past few days, and had reached an all time high that Tuesday as it was now December the first.

rushed Lily hurried down the charms corridor ducking into line just as the bell rang. Up ahead of her Lily could see Sirius and James talking together although it looked like James had trailed off and was looking at her.

Lily smiled slightly at him as Professor Flickwick opened his door with a wave of his wand and directed them into the classroom. "Welcome back Miss. Evans," he squeaked as Lily passed him and she waved hello as she passed by him, sitting down almost at once between Hester and Alice.

"How are you feeling?" Hester asked the moment Lily had sat down and had started pulling out her book.

"Fine, Madam Pomfrey let me out right?" Lily said pulling out her wand from the bottom of her bag. She had found her wand at the bottom of her bag when it had been brought to her in the hospital wing although Lily could have sworn she had brought it down to Slughorns party.

"Pay attention class," Flickwick called over the class which fell silent as he took his seat on top of a large stack of books.

Within fifteen minutes the class was working on a very complex charm that involved switching a object for another one from a great distances away. The class was very loud and a perfect cover for a conversation.

"I just cannot believe Snape would sink as low as he did," Lily said waving her wand at the object she was trying to make disappear.

"I can," Alice said, almost at once banishing a spell book and making one of her scarves appear on the desk, and then vanishing that.

"He did come to Hogwarts knowing more about the dark arts than anyone else," Hester said, waving her own wand making the book she was trying to banish do a belly flop on the table.

Lily sighed nodding her head, it was true that Snape had come to Hogwarts knowing a whole lot about the dark arts. When Lily had first met him aside from them being witches and wizards, the only thing he would talk about was about the dark arts.

It made sense that he would show up at school with a vast knowledge of them, as obsessed with them as he used to be.

Lily waved her wand, the book vanished and her stag appeared. "Oh bloody hell," She muttered jabbing her wand angrily and burning the end of the stag's snout. Waving her wand again, she made it vanish, glancing around to make so no one had seen her blunder. Apparently they had not because they were all going on with their tasks, using the noise as a cover for their own conversations.

"New topic," Hester said, "Since Lily is looking a little green." Lily stuck her tongue out and Hester grinned. She seemed to enjoy teasing Lily about her vomiting episode, although the more she brought it up the less embarrassing it was. Snape had gotten some of what he deserved, vomit all over his robes. "What is going on with Remus?"

"Aha, what do you mean?" Lily asked waving her wand again and making a make-up compress appear on her desk.

"The fact that he keeps appearing with a bunch of bruises on him, did you see the bruises on his arm the other day?" Alice asked and Lily grimaced.

"Yeah, that would be another issue," Lily said, pushing her hair back and then looking around until she spotted Remus sitting with Sirius and James, laughing and messing with switching spells.

"How is Remus an issue?" Alice asked, holding her wand loosely and looking at Lily.  
Lily sighed and glanced over at Remus, would it be breaking his trust if she told Alice and Hester what was happening?

"What do you two have some sort of secret love affair right underneath James' nose? Are you meeting in the caretakers closet and having a bit of fun?" Hester asked waggling her eyebrows and smirking.

"Gross, and no," Lily said making a slight face. "No, nothing like that, I just…don't know if I should say anything. I already started digging a grave for myself, I do not want to dig it any deeper then I have."  
Hester gave her a weird look, although she did not say anything else for a few minutes, concentrating on switching spells.

"Is Remus the reason you and James have stopped talking to each other?" Alice asked, and Lily glanced at her.

"Knew there was a feeling you where one of my best friends," Lily said, nodding her head. "In an offhanded way yes, the whole Remus thing has something to do with James and I not speaking anyway."

"That was a confusing statement if ever I heard one," Hester said and Lily laughed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, welcome to a glimpse inside of my mind," Lily said.

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Feeling stressed, Lily slammed her stacks of books down onto a table in the corner of the library. Although she had missed only one day of class, she was shocked at how much homework seemed to have been piled on.

Spending one day of class time in the hospital wing had put her one day behind everyone else. Not that all of the students would have started, Lily liked her work to not be rushed, instead, thoughtful. If the teachers assigned it for homework then they expected the homework to help the lesson sink in!  
Settling into her chair, Lily began flipping through her books to the chapter in which the spell, charm, potion, or magical creature was, that she was meant to study on Monday when she had been out of class.  
Within a few moments, Lily was being buried underneath rolls of parchment and stacks of books with ink bottles and quills.

She had no idea how the teachers expected them to finish all of this homework in the three weeks they had until Christmas Break. It was almost as though they wanted them to be too busy to enjoy the days leading up to the holidays. Lily wondered if they would pile the homework on as much during the Christmas break as they had during the past few weeks.

Low murmurs echoed throughout the library and many students kept saying shush. Lily leaned closer to her parchment, feeling tired from her eight hour day, she found as though her eye lids were being bagged down with buckets of sand.

'Switching spells are easier, and safer in theory than in real life….' Lily read, underlining the sentences and then moving further down the page as she looked for sentences that would line up with her paper; describe why switching spells are both easier, and harder when executing the spell.

A hand rested down on Lily's shoulder and she jumped, making a large line down the page of her text book.

"Sorry, Red," a voice said quickly and Lily twisted around, grimacing as her sore muscle protested, her left hand clenching her wand.

"Black, I've told you a hundred times…."Lily started.  
"

Not to call you Red," Sirius said nodding at the chair next to her, "Can I sit?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, go ahead," Lily said, waving with her wand and blinking when several red sparks flew out of the end of it. "Sorry," Lily said, setting the wand down on the table and twirling her quill around. She could not get what Black had told her the last time they had come face to face out of her head.

Sirius gave her a slight grin, although he seemed a bit apprehensive, as he sat down after moving Lily's school bag down onto the floor.

"What's up?" Lily asked, "Do you need help with a paper?"

"No, no Remus…is helping with papers and everything." Sirius said picking up Lily's wand and spinning it in circles.

"Okay…well what is it, then?" Lily asked, setting her quill down and looking at him.  
Sirius took a deep breath, "I'm sorry for what I said, it was out of line. I should have known something was wrong. You even told me what Snape had said, and I acted like a prick."  
Lily stared at him, that was the last thing she had expected to come out of his mouth. "Thanks Bl—Sirius…I appreciate that," Lily said.

Sirius nodded and an awkward silence fell between them. "Well, see you?" He asked and Lily smiled, nodding as he got up and walked away from her.

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"I told them," Remus said without any hello as he sat down across from Lily at the table on Thursday morning.

Lily looked at him blankly. her scrambled eggs half way to her mouth on the fork. "Erm?" she said around her mouth full of bacon, she took a bite of her eggs.

"I told them," Remus said again and Lily saw he looked worried. "What was happening," He explained to Lily who still looked puzzled.

"Huh…oooooOOoo, okay good," Lily said understanding what he was saying.  
"

Honestly, I think I should have told the headmaster but the marauder in my wanted them to get their butts kicked," Remus said.

Lily nodded in agreement, she would love for those who had been bugging Remus to get their butts kicked herself. "Eat," She said and served him a plate full of food. Remus looked as though he was about to say something else, but Hester joined them a moment later and he closed his mouth, starting to eat.  
Lily could not help but smile as she swallowed her mouthful of scrambled eggs and bacon, trying to eat as much as possible before class started. She still felt cold and achy, as though someone had hit her with a bat, there were small bruises all over her body. Madam Pomfrey said they should clear up, although she was still forcing potion after potion down her throat to keep her getting better.

As they were walking out of the great hall, Lily grabbed Remus around him neck and gave him a tight hug pecking him on the cheek. A few people whistled loudly as they saw what Lily had done.  
Remus had a pink tint to his cheeks, "What was that for?" He asked.

"Because," Lily said unable to explain the sudden rush of gratitude and love she felt for her friend.

"We're female, Remus, if we hug you, just hug us back," Hester advised, leading the way downstairs to potions.

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(Sirius: WHY DIDN'T LILY TURN SNAPE IN FOR USING THOSE SPELLS!?)

(Arya: Because she doesn't remember….and time line..it won't fit…)

(Sirius: AND WHAT ABOUT ME?! WHAT WAS I THINKING, LILY AND SNAPE? I MEAN REALLY AND SHE WAS ALL PALE AND GREEN, WHY DIDN'T I SEE IT?!)

(Arya: Sirius, please calm down!)  
(

Sirius BUT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN…)

(Arya: Yes, well we do not know everything, now shut up because my ear is ringing now.)

(Sirius: Fine….)

(Arya: And do not let me catch you in my pink robe sulking again….that is just too creepy…)

(Sirius: But it is fluffy…..)

(Arya: Right then…anyway, Tanja88, and Broadband, thank you for the ideas for this story.)

(Sirius: Yeah, you gave her more evil ideas and trust me, I live in her head, it is very scary in here. When it's not scary, I feel like I am in a pro-)

(Arya: Sirius, shut up. Anyway you two, huge shout out for the great reviews with the ideas.)

(Sirius: And for those of you who have reviewed and are not mentioned, thank you for the encouragement and constructive criticism!)

(Arya: Be kind and give us some more encouragement and constructive criticism!)

(Sirius: Yeah! Give us a review!)

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Full list of the things James Potter is not allowed to do...ever...

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of roses.

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick.

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans's dreams come true.

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans.

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of the fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write to Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.


	8. Chapter 8 The Resolution

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling. I just get to have fun with her characters.

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"I doubt it will make much of a difference," said Professor McGonagall coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the entrance hall." –Minerva McGonagall

Chapter Eight

The Resolution

"With a little time, and a little more insight, we begin to see both ourselves and our enemies in humbler profiles. We are not really as innocent as we felt when we were first hurt. And we do not usually have a gigantic monster to forgive; we have a weak, needy, and somewhat stupid human being. When you see your enemy and yourself in the weakness and silliness of the humanity you share, you will make the miracle of forgiving a little easier."- Lewis B. Smedes

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The first day of Christmas break dawned bright and cold, with a harsh wind that buffeted against one's cloak and robes. Silence hung about the hallways of Hogwarts, a silence that was broken by the murmurings of those students left behind, the teachers and the ghosts.

Snow crunched underneath the heels of Lily's black boots. The top layer of the snow had turned into a slippery layer of ice. The wind blew hard against the exposed part of her skin as she made her slow way along the side of the Forbidden Forest. All of the trees in the forest were leaden under a heavy cloud of snow, all excepted the Whomping Willow, which was rocking backwards and forwards in the wind, as though trying to fight it.

Despite the fact that the harsh cold sunlight that glared down from underneath the cover of grey clouds offered little warmth, Lily could see a few straggler birds flying through the sky, as though they had been left behind when the others had migrated.

Blinking back the tears that the sun brought to her eyes; Lily turned around and dropped down into snow.

A flurry of snow rose up and then fell backwards falling onto Lily's scarf, robes, and the exposed part of her hair and face. Her mind babbled quietly, as she lay in the wet snow thoughts and ideas mixing together.

Her stomach rumbled softly, remanding her that she had come straight outside that morning without breakfast, and lunchtime was fast approaching. Lily hummed softly, searching her mind, but not coming to any conclusions as to what to do.

Lily let her eyes shut softly moving her legs and arms upwards and downwards making a snow angel.

Laughter reached her ears as Lily swung her legs and arms out wide and then closed them. Frowning, she sat up laying her hands gently on the snow, so as not to mess up the snow angel to badly.

James was strolling across the grounds a letter held out in front of him, and a large bemused smile spread across his face.

Lily smiled, leaning one elbow on her knee and watching as James walked across the snow. It was shocking to see how grown up he looked. Many different shades of black streaked through his untidy hair, which he reached up and rustled

Lily laughed quietly, it had been a while sense she had seen James mess his hair up. Thinking of it, Lily realized that the only times James ever messed his hair now were when he was amused, or worried about something. He no longer did it to show off. It had become some kind of unconscious habit of his.

Alerted to someone's presence by Lily's laughter, he looked up from the piece of parchment he was holding.

"Hey, Lily," James said tucking the parchment into the pocket of his cloak, and smiling. "Spying on people?" he asked.

Lily shook her head, "I was making a snow angel." Lily stood up shaking the snow from her clothes and hair as she did so, and stepping out of the angel she had made.

Glancing back she frowned, her foot had sunk deep into the snow angel when she had stood up making it look less like an angel, and more like someone had dug in the snow.

"Or trying to, at least," Lily said with a grin, James had moved closer to her now. In fact, they were standing nearer to each other than they had since their fight.

James looked over her shoulder, his lips tugging up into a semi-grin, "It looks…nice…?"

Lily snorted, "Yeah if you think someone digging in the snow and then stamping their feet in the snow is nice."

James grinned at her, and Lily rolled her eyes,

"Good news?" she asked, pointing to his breast pocket where he had stored whatever he had been reading.

"Letter from me mum and dad," James said. "Dad has a wicked sense of humor."

"Like you?" Lily asked before she could stop herself. She could not remember when she had started thinking of his actions as funny. Maybe, it was when they had started being funny, and not cruel. Or maybe she had finally pulled out that broomstick that Sirius had always said was in her butt.

"I never thought you thought my humor was funny," James said, starting to walk and Lily began to walk beside him falling into step beside him.

"I'm allowed to change my mind," Lily said sounding more stuck up then she had meant to. Lily lifted up her head looking down her nose at him, and then she made a face shaking her head as James laughed.

"I suppose you are," James said ruffling his hair as he walked next to Lily.

Lily nodded slightly, as they turned at the lake and started back around standing close enough to each other that if James or Lily reached out they would be holding hands.

Yet Lily did not think the situation called for her to grab James's hand. Lifting her arms Lily folded them against her chest to resist the temptation.

"How is Remus?" Lily asked, she had not seen him yesterday evening and when she had asked Black about him, she had been told that he had taken sick.

"He's fine," James said, without going into any detail.

Lily frowned, James suddenly sounded a whole lot more defensive then Lily though the conversation called for. "You are still mad at me about the Remus situation aren't you?" she asked, messing with her hair.

"Yeah, I guess I am. You lied for him," James said. "You lied to me," James said sounding hurt. "About a situation that we could have put an end to before anything worse happened."

"Remus said he had it under control," Lily said.

"Right, I doubt it was under control when Nott broke one of Remus ribs." James said.

"He never told me that happened," Lily said although she knew it was a lame excuse. She had of course been the one to heal him most of the times he had been beaten up.

"I suppose he was lying to you about how bad it was, huh?" James asked. He stopped walking, and leaned back against a tree.

"Yeah, I guess so," Lily said, she stopped walking too. The urge to tell James to go and screw himself lurked in the back of her mind. She did not need to explain herself for her actions to him. Yet a greater part of her wanted to settle this between the two of them before it went on any further or any longer.

They may not become boyfriend or girlfriend, although that was what James had said he wanted. And it was what Lily had begun to want before their fight, what she stilled wanted.

James gave her the hairy eyeball. Lily shivered slightly although she meant his gaze. Lily looked away before James did.

"Look, James," Lily said, "Remus has been my friend since the first day of first year. He is my best guy friend, and I would do anything to protect him. Even keep secrets from his other friends, even if they are my friends too."

"Gee, that sounds an awful lot like lying," James said.

Lily shook her head, "Gee you're acting an awful lot like a pig-head, James, I helped Remus as much as I could without interfering," she said, "He went to you lot in the end to ask for your help. I'm not saying he did it the right way, going to you a lot sooner, or even to a teacher would have been a smarter idea then hiding the truth."

Lily took a deep breath, "I know I hurt you by not telling you the truth. I know I should have told you the truth James, but Remus asked me not to. He is my best friend, and I helped him as best as I could without betraying his secret." Lily said.

"You are the one that told him to tell us?" James asked.

"Yeah, I said I wouldn't cover for him any more. It's the whole 'male pride' thing James," Lily said. "Your pride is hurt because I kept a secret from you…Remus is your friend and you feel honored bound to protect him. Remus also had the whole pride thing of not wanting to run off with his tail between his legs," Lily said.

"Male pride?" James said.

"Yeah, I know I lied to you James, and I am sorry. But I am not going to say I am sorry that I kept his secret like he asked me to," Lily said unfolding her arms, letting her hood fall backwards and tucking her hair behind her ears.

James reached up, messing his hair up again, "Lily…"

"James," Lily said.

James gave her a half-grin, "I thought that you were lying to me," James said, "I understand you did what you needed to do in the situation. You're right. Remus is one of your oldest friends, but when I found out you were lying for him I took it to mean you were lying to me." James said.

Lily nodded.

"And one thing you always expect from your friends is honesty," Lily said. She had always known that, even when she had thought that he was a prick. James always looked for the friends who were honest… friends who did not lie. Lily lying to him could be—and had been—seen as a huge betrayal.

"Yeah," James said nodding his head, "I thought that since you were lying to me, how could I trust you in the future?"

Lily nodded, "How could you trust a girlfriend who would keep a secret for you?"

"Yeah," James said shaking his head. "I guess there is two different ways to look at the situation. From the side I was standing on, you were lying to me," James paused and then fixed Lily with the same look he had given her the first time they had meant on the train, as though he was looking deep into her heart and seeing everything in it. "On the other hand, I could look at it, and see how you are fiercely loyal towards those you love and care for." James finished, kicking away from the tree and starting to walk again.

Lily swallowed kicking a way through the hard packed snow, "So how are you looking at it now?" Lily asked.

James gave her a grin, "The second option," he said, "I'm sorry I was such a prat."

"I am sorry I did not speak up about what was going on," Lily said.

Their feet sank deep into the snow as they made their way back towards the castle.

James shoved his hair back again, kicking up a poof of snow, "Since we are talking openly to each other, may I ask you a question?" he said.

"You just did," Lily said, smiling, "but go ahead and ask another question,"

James made a face at her. "Why did you make the list?" he asked.

"What list?" Lily said, blankly. "You mean the '101 Things You're Not Allowed To Do' ?"

"Yeah," James said nodding his head, "Why did you write it?"

"It was fun," Lily said shaking her head, "A bunch of romantic things that I had read about in romance books and things." She shrugged her shoulders slightly.

James looked uncomfortable. Lily gave a small frown, "What are you worried about?"

James sighed, "What do you think would happen between us if I did not do anything on the list anymore?"

"The same thing that is happening right now," Lily said shrugging, "Its fun that you do those things on the list, it shows a very romantic and different side of you that I was pretty jaded about."

James reached up behind his neck giving it a soft rub, "So us being friends does not have anything to do with the list you made?"

Lily thought for a moment, "No, I do not think that. I think we still would have become friends, with or without the list."

"What about us…."

"Ending up going out?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," James said grinning.

"Yeah, I think we would've ended up going out, with or without the silly list Alice and I made." Lily said laughing slightly

James flashed a grin at her. Lily grinned back and then flushed as her stomach gave an unladylike rumble.

James laughed merrily. "Hungry?" he asked, although Lily was sure he had heard the loud noise her stomach had been making.

"Yeah, it looked so pretty out, I came walking in the snow instead of eating. I've no idea what time it is now, though," Lily said. Before James had joined her, Lily had been sure it was approaching lunch time; now though she was not sure how long they had walked talking or in friendly silence.

James grin spread wider if that could be possible, and he glanced at the watch he was wearing. "Lunch is about mid-way through," he said, "Come on, before Sirius ends up eating all the food."

Lily laughed. Sirius would certainly eat enough food for an entire army, and then some.

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(Sirius- Kind of a short chapter there Arya!)

(Arya- True but my beta and I agreed that this chapter is good enough standing on its own.)

(Sirius- I suppose. Your right! As always...)

(Arya: You saying I am right..wow)

(Sirius- Do not get use to it)

(Arya- Fine. I won't.)

(Sirius- Now leave us a review and tell us how much you like the chapter please!)

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Fully List of Things James Potter is not allowed to do

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of rose

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans dreams come true

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of a fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

10) James Potter is never allowed to say sorry for something that he and Lily Evans are equally guilty for.

11) James Potter is not allowed to walk in the snow with Lily Evans


	9. Chapter 9 Christmas Tides

Dislcaimer- I am not J.K Rowling, I just get to have fun with her characters.

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"Probably that you're going to be eaten by a giant marshmallow or something," said Harry."

Chapter Nine

Christmas Tides

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.- Norman Vincent Peale

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A pale sun was poking through the grey snow clouds that hung in the sky on Christmas Eve. Lily was lazing on her stomach in her bed the warm blankets still wrapped tight around her. Despite the watery sunlight that was peering through, it felt unusually cold in the girls' dorm. It was as though some dark shadow had slipped in during the night, and was lurking there waiting for the right time to strike.

Lily lay curled amongst the blankets on her four-poster, holding an eagle quill poised above a piece of blank parchment. Beside her a letter was laying open, the curling handwriting looking up at the ceiling.

The letter had come earlier that morning while Lily had been with James in the Great Hall. While his friends had seemed thrilled with the reconciliation between the two of them, and the teachers shocked, the look of betrayal on Snape's face had sent a dagger through Lily's heart.

She had tried to console herself with the fact that Snape had let his cronies attack her with some spell; yet the voice in her head remained her of six long years of friendship.

James had said woman were funny, when Lily tried to share these feelings of guilt. He had shared that as far as he was concerned, Snape's head belonged in a toilet and nowhere near Lily.

With those feelings of guilt waving merrily at her, and the arrival of her sister's letter, Lily was all too happy to be able to escape into the girls' dorm after breakfast. To add to the guilt she was already feeling, the disappointed look on James face when Lily had left him kept popping up as she thought how to answer the letter.

It was hard to imagine that her sister could be so cold, aloof and hurtful on parchment, but it appeared that Petunia's knack for cruelty towards her knew no boundaries.

Beneath the insults and snide comments about the "freak show" that Lily belonged to, Petunia had admitted that she was engaged to Vernon, a man she had been dating for a year.

The fact that they had been engaged for nearing four months was another stab in Lily's heart. Apparently, her sister did not even deem her worthy enough to be privy to the knowledge of her happy news.

Lily knew the relationship between she and Petunia had been damaged when Lily had begun Hogwarts, leaving her sister behind in the Muggle world. Yet a small part of her heart—a part belonging to that eleven-year-old girl who could still hear her elder sister calling her a freak—hoped that Petunia would somehow decide that Lily was worth having for a sister.

The letter that was that lay next to her was proof that it was very unlikely to happen. Lily was in her sister opinion, a freak.

Swiping at her face, Lily looked at the feeble three sentences that she had written her sister. Petunia had used a full page. It would have to do; she doubted very much that her older sister wanted to hear anything about her own love life.

Petunia,

Congratulations on your happy news.

-Lily.

Lily reread what she had written carefully. She wanted her sister to find no emotion in the words that lay upon the parchment. Knowing Petunia, she would probably take offense that Lily had not bothered to either gush about the news, demand to know why she had not been told sooner, want to know everything down to the last detail.

Tough for her then…

If Petunia did not want to act Lily's sister, then she did not need to act like Petunia's sister. Of course, that did not mean she could not be civil towards her but still, Lily did not see any point in letting her sister in again.

Just like her feelings of friendship toward Snape, her love of her sister could be poisonous. If she was not careful, she would be curled up in a corner crying for no bloody reason, besides the fact that she had let herself be pulled under by her sister.

Again.

Picking up her quill, Lily let it hover over the parchment for a moment, sighed and laid the quill aside. Picking up the parchment she rolled it, tapped it with her wand to make sure it was sealed and wiggled her way out from under the blankets.

Putting the letter into her robe pocket, Lily exited the girls' dorm. She would just go send the letter. That way she could not second-guess herself, or spend the next hour trying to rewrite three simple sentences, as she had done most of the morning.

Sirius Black was sitting in the common room a pleased smirk on his face; he was tapping his wand against the heel of his boot and sparks of red were flying from the end of it.

"Hey, Red, your eye's are red." Sirius said the moment she walked in, and he grinned as if he said something clever.

"You're Mr. Observant," Lily said.

"And you are Ms. Prissy-Grumpy-there's-a –broom-up-my-bum, again," Sirius said, "What happened, did you get bored with actually having fun, and now you've gone back to how you used to be?" Sirius asked tapping his wand a little quicker.

Lily gave him a withering glare, "My sister happened, if you must know! She's the one with a broom in her bum!"

"Petunia wrote, then?" Remus asked emerging from the boys' dorm, and carrying what looked to Lily like a large badly shaped bowler hat.

"Yeah," Lily said.

Remus raised an eyebrow at her and Lily sighed.

"Between being very cruel in her words and insults, she shared that she was engaged to that Vermin guy, and had been for about four months," Lily said, trying not to let the hurt show in her voice. She did not succeed if the looks Sirius and Remus gave each other were any indication.

Lily folded her arms and leaned back against the wall. Her sorry relationship with her sister was not something she cared to talk about. Pity she had not been able to keep her mouth shut, and just stick her tongue out at the comment Black had made.

"I'm sure she had her reasons," Remus said soothingly.

Sirius snorted, "You're an only child, Remus, you don't know siblings. Sounds like Red's sister here has a broomstick so much further up her bum then Lily ever did. It's so far up there that she isn't walking, but hopping along on that broom handle," Sirius said, and then laughed.

Lily and Remus joined in.

"I guess the broom in the bum just runs in the family," Lily said shaking her head.

Sirius grinned, "Right. Well, your well rid of the broom near as I can tell. Remember the stock I come from whenever you think about family, Red. You'll feel loads better, I assure you."

"You turned out all right," Lily pointed out.

Remus laughed. "Yeah, for a half-cracked madman."

"Looks who is talking…with your…misbehaving rabbit!" Sirius pointed out. Lily got the feeling that Sirius was about to say something other than that. He had thrown Lily a rather nervous glance when the words began slipping from his lips, but Lily chose not to comment on it. Remus had become quiet pale.

When Remus was ready, then Remus would tell her what was going on. It wasn't her place to try and get it out of him, although the old Lily was hopping up and down demanding to know the answer.

Lily was saved from finding something, anything to say to make the conversation turn from awkward back to light-hearted by a loud thump.

Lily, Sirius and Remus all looked around. James was lying in a heap on the bottom of the boys' dorm stairs. Peter was sitting on top of him bouncing up and down, and whacking him on the side of the head. Lily had never seen Peter act like anything other than a hero-worshiping corny to James, it was rather a shock to see him riding piggy back.

"Give me Toby! I want Toby!" Peter was squeaking, James was muffled, and his face was bright red.

It took a moment before Lily realized that James was red from laughing, and another moment to notice a little brown ear and arm sticking out from beneath James chest.

Sirius and Remus were both roaring in laughter. Lily chewed her lip trying to determine if the situation was funny, or if Peter had finally lost his mind and gone crazy. She glanced over at Sirius who was bent double, he caught her eye, grinned even wider and gave a bark like laugh.

"Toby is Peter stuffed teddy bear…" Sirius said gasping for breath, his shoulders shaking from laughter.

"We keep trying to weaning Peter away from the teddy," Remus said, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Which means you hide it whenever you want to annoy him?" Lily asked. Remus and Sirius nodded. James was too busy being beaten over the head with what looked like a little pillow covered in yellow duck print to do anything but roar in laughter, and clutch the teddy to him.

"I still sleep with a stuffed animal," Lily said. No need to say that it was the stuffed stag James had given her a while back. Or that until James had given her the stag Lily had not slept with a stuffed animal sense she was eight.

"You're a girl, though," Sirius pointed out.

"It's cute," Remus said still laughing.

"Peter, however, is a boy," Sirius said.

"And he needs to be a man," Remus said.

"And not sleep with a teddy bear…"

"Or a duck print pillow," Remus said.

"Or footie….owww….pajamas," James added from under Peter.

Lily laughed loudly into her hands, and dropped into one of the seats by Sirius and Remus. It seemed siblings—whether heart siblings or real siblings—would always have their issues. Even if some of the issues were someone not mentioning an engagement, or a brother stealing another brother's stuffed teddy bear and insisting that it was time to "grow up."

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"Lily?" A voice said softly.

Lily groaned softly turning her head to the side. A solid heartbeat echoed in her ear, a soothing sound added to the crackling of fire. She could feel a heavy weight resting across her breast, but instead of feeling threatening it felt calm and reassuring.

Fingers danced up and down the side of Lily's neck, and she muttered trying to turn her head away from it while also leaning into it. How could something feel so good but be such a bad idea to allow?

"Lily Flower," A voice said again.

Lily frowned turning her head again. Maybe if she ignored the voice it would shut up and let her keep on sleeping. She could not remember feeling so comfy in a while, the warmth that rested against her back was radiating throughout her body and she felt safe.

"Lily, Lily Flower, come on, Lils, open your eyes," The voice said again.

Lily jerked slightly, her eyes fluttering open. As she sat up her mind came rushing back to her body. She had been lying in James arms, and it was his voice that had been attempting to wake her up.

They had both been curled on the love seat speaking softly to each other about snide bits of their lives. James had wanted to know more about Lily's relationship with her sister, and friendship with Snape.

It was sometime during talking about Snape, particularly how he had been the one to tell her she was special and a witch, that Lily had dozed off.

Against James.

In James's arms.

In James's arms on an almost-too-small loveseat.

Lily's face began to burn as she maneuvered herself into a more neutral position,

"Sorry," she muttered blushing like mad.

James merely chuckled, "No problem, just sort of…stiff…. laying there," he said.

Lily glanced over in time to see him moving himself just a bit and stretching his arms. Her face reddened even more.

"What time is it?" Lily asked rubbing her face. It seemed a more neutral question then any of the others that were running through her head.

" A little after one am," James said, swinging one leg down, his other, Lily realized, was still trapped behind her.

"Sorry," Lily said again, "I could move," she offered, although she did not really want to despite how embarrassed she was feeling right now.

"Nah, you're fine," James said yawning again and messing his hair up even more.

Looking at him Lily was reminded of a rumbled kitten that had just been given an unwanted bath, she snorted softly.

"What?" James asked.

"Aha, your look…it's…cute," Lily said, feeling her face get even redder. She wondered how many shades of red her face might be able to come up with, and figured probably a lot.

"Thanks," James said giving her a grin. Lily blinked she had expected James to say something rather cheesy back. "Not as cute as you," or something. More points in the personal growth column. It seemed James was batting a thousand these past few days.

"We better go to bed," James said after a few more moments of silence. He was running his hand gently up and down Lily's back, which was making her want to arch back although she fought the feeling.

"I suppose so, it is late," Lily agreed.

Neither of them made a move to get up.

"Father Christmas won't come if we are not asleep," James pointed out.

Lily snorted in a bemused sort of way, "You still believe in Father Christmas?"

"Yeah, don't you?" James asked feigning a hurt look.

"Uh-uh," Lily said, "I believe in the magic of Christmas. An old man dressed in a red suit sneaking down people's chimneys while everyone is asleep just seems wrong," Lily said.

"Aha, so no dressing up in a red Father Christmas suits then?" James asked.

"No, definitely not," Lily said finally standing up and stretching towards the ceiling. Behind her James sat up fully, rubbing the muscles of his leg.

"There goes that idea, then," James said.

"I am not even going to ask," Lily said.

"Good, because I would not tell you," James teased poking Lily in the back.

Lily squealed and moved away, which allowed James to stand up. He did so stretching his own arms above his head. Lily reached out poking the exposed stripe of stomach that was revealed when his sweater rose up.

James gave her a somewhat dirty look, "Not fair."

"Is so," Lily said sticking her tongue out. "You started it."

"Did not," James said.

"Your wit leaves me stupefied, however as you said it is after one am, and I am sure our friends want us up well before one pm today to spend the holiday with them. I must suggest getting our behinds into bed."

"Right you are," James said prodding Lily to the bottom of the girls' dorm stairway. "Up you go."

James waited until Lily was all the way upstairs before he turned around and walked off winking at her as she did so.

Lily felt her mouth drop, James and she had been standing right underneath a bundle of mistletoe.

Personal growth.

Shockingly it seemed to fit James like a well-fitted tuxedo.

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"You would think you learned from the Mistletoe Incident last Christmas! You lot live for trouble. More time in detention then any seventh year I have had the fortune, or rather misfortune to have taught!" McGonagall's voice echoed throughout the common room of Gryffindor.

Lily ducked down further behind the new Potion Encyclopedia that Remus had given her for Christmas.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were all standing in front of McGonagall, trying but failing to look less then amused.

Next to Lily Hestia was doing a very good impression of being sound asleep in an armchair, her head lolling to one side.

Lily only knew it was a ruse, because seconds before McGonagall had entered the common room Hestia had been awake and chatting.

Lily glanced up from her book and then down again. James had been peering at her, a grin stretched across his face.

"What would posses you, any of you, to spell a bunch of snowballs to go around and randomly beat residents upside the head!" McGonagall asked, sounding almost as though she was going to be skipping through Migraine Land very soon.

Lily stifled a snigger; she knew exactly what it was that had possessed the lot of them to do that. The reason, or reasons were sitting in Hestia and her own chairs trying for all they were worth to pretend they were not present for this. Neither one of them had thought daring Potter, Black, Pettigrew or Lupin had been a smart idea, but they had a small hope they would not have done it. Sadly, that hope had been dashed within the first few minutes. Of course when you made a wager with the Marauders one had to be careful for how it was phrased.

Trying not to laugh (her ribs were already starting to hurt from all of her breathless laughing that day) Lily turned the page of her book. She knew the boys where saying something, but she was humming White Christmas in her head so as to not burst out laughing. Glancing over the top of her book she caught James's eye and then quickly looked away. If ever anyone looked like a modern day pirate it was James Potter when he was in the midst of getting into trouble.

It was, Lily thought looking back at the book she was fake reading, a rather perfect way to end the day. She could not remember a better Christmas, except for when she was young and had never heard about Hogwarts.

She had woken up early in the morning to find a mound of presents sitting at the foot of her bed. Hestia had already been halfway through her own pile when Lily woke up, which made her suspect her friend had not been in the night before. Her shirt being buttoned crooked was also a huge tip off.

Lily had spent the next hour ribbing Hestia about breaking curfew and unwrapping gifts, pausing to make a note about who sent each one. She did not want to forget anyone when she sent out thank you notes. Her teasing of Hestia had created a large wrapping paper fight. At one point, Hestia had chased Lily downstairs throwing balls of bright wrapping paper and laughing. James and his friends had joined them once the girls got downstairs, and the laughing, overheated girls had talked the boys into going outside into the snow for a bit. Both of the girls had been thinking along the same line…the minute the boy's backs were turned they had begun hurling snowball after snowball at them.

It had not been a fair fight, four boys against two girls, but Hestia and Lily had given them a run for their Galleons.

They had gone inside and trooped wet and breathless into the Great Hall for Christmas Dinner. Just like always, the house-elves had out done themselves on the Christmas Feast.

Lily had lost track of how many different foods she ate, although the flavor would burst on her tongue and make her hum with every bite. Lily liked to eat, especially when said food was as well cooked as the food at Hogwarts was.

Food and fun in the snow finished, the six of them had returned to the Gryffindor common room to laze in front of the fire. Lily had ran upstairs to fetch her new Potions Encyclopedia with Hestia right behind her, after the new Exploding Snap set she had been sent. Hestia's set—Lily was amused to see—where all printed with a different Quidditch player, some with no shirts on.

While Lily had found it highly amusing, Black, had not. If Lily had allowed herself to think about it, she would have found it odd that Black had seemed so jealous over a deck of cards. At that point though, James had started teasing Lily about girls never being able to win a snowball fight.

Annoyed, Lily had ignored him by holding her book in her face. Hestia however, had looked up from examining the man on her cards saying,

"If you're so macho, then why don't you throw some snowballs at the headmaster?"

Lily had leaped on that bandwagon at once; of course, neither of them had really been thinking!

If they had thought to use their brains, they might have remembered that you never, ever, ever told Sirius, James, Remus or Peter to do something, and not expect them to do it. Especially when it had something to do with being "macho" or manly.

"…And you two girls should not be silly enough to dare them to do anything as foolish as they have just done!" McGonagall added over her shoulder, as she spun on her heel and began clambering out through the portrait hole. She paused halfway out, and glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, and Happy Christmas."

The portrait hole swung shut, and Lily and Hestia both let out loud squeals of laughter.

"I cannot believe you did that!" Lily said shaking her head.

"Well, you did say if I was 'so macho'," James said.

"So you thought it would be a good idea to go and do it, Potter?" Hestia said.

"Duh," Black said, as though that one word summed it up. In their case it did, but Lily was not going to let them know that.

"Lily already thinks your macho, Potter, doing that was just…."Hestia started.

"Stupid," Lily finished for her shaking her head. "You guys really want to get the most detentions on record, don't you?"

"The thought has crossed our minds, yes," Remus said with a straight face.

Lily glared at him,

"Remus, you're supposed to be the prefect!" Hestia pointed out.

"James is suppose to be Head Boy," Lily pointed out.

"I fear for the safety of the school," Hestia said, in a doomed sort of voice.

Lily nodded her agreement.

James flopped down into a chair, "Being taunted by women, what a way to end Christmas." he said in a pouty sort of voice.

"You'll get over it," Lily said as the other boys sat down, Sirius kicking Hestia new pack of exploding snap aside. "You're a macho male after all." James shot her a glare.

"Besides, Lils and I are not your fan club and therefore will not worship the ground you walk on," Hestia said and the grinned, "It's good for you boys to get yelled at especially when your being a couple of…."

"Charming men?" Sirius said.

"People who won't back down from a challenge?" Remus asked.

" Marauders?" James said grinning.

"Idiots," Lily said.

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Hestia had retired to the girls' dorm long ago, with Lily following behind her, and she had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit her pillow. She merely grunted when Lily teased her about trying out for the sexual Olympics, and then wondered aloud why most girls their age talked about sex so much.

While Hestia murmured in her sleep, Lily had sat at the top of the girls' dorm stairs flipping through her new book. She was pulled back in shadow and would not be able to be seen if someone was to look up the stairs now, although she could hear the boys speaking down below. None of them seemed too anxious to go to bed, although James did suggest it once or twice.

He had looked confused when Lily had told him to wait for her when the common room was empty.

Lily had no doubt that if she fell asleep, James would wait there all night for her. Lily glanced at her watch, watching as the minute hand ticked nearer and near to midnight. She wanted to do this while it was still Christmas. It would be much more romantic, in her mind at least. By her count, there was less than twenty minutes to go before midnight.

Maybe she should just go down and ask to speak to James in private… But then his friends would know something was up and easy drop on whatever conversation James and Lily were having. Never mind that Lily had asked for privacy.

Lily did not care if James told his mates about it after the fact, but she did not want an audience for it though.

Downstairs Peter made a snuffling sound, as though he had a bad head cold, and had been crying. "Is Toby where I left him?" He asked sounding like a little boy.

Sirius groaned, "You are too old for that freaking bear Peter!" he snapped. Lily heard Peter snivel and Sirius make a sound that was a half-groan and half-sigh.

"Peter, it's in Sirius trunk, why not go get it?" James said sounding all too happy to be telling Peter where the teddy was for someone who was trying to get him to stop sleeping with the darn thing.

Lily heard an excited squeak followed by scampering footsteps, "Oh, wait, I think maybe its Remus trunk…" James called after the footsteps.

"James!" Sirius snapped, sounding like a wife whose husband had just gotten mud onto her freshly cleaned tile floors.

Remus sighed, loudly.

"Lets go stop Peter, before he ruins both our trunks." Remus said, sounding like an elder brother who was not amused.

Lily sniggered into her hand.

"You are dog meat, James," Remus added, and Lily heard his and Sirius's footsteps heading up the boys' dorm stairs.

Still sniggering Lily stood up, tucking her book under her arm. She strained her ears for a moment, so as to catch the sound of anyone coming back down from the boys' dorm. Apparently though, the gentlemen had decided that since they where up there, they might as well climb into bed.

Lily waited five whole minutes, leaving her only seven minutes before midnight before she went down the stairs her slippers padding lightly.

James was sitting in a chair with his hand on his chin, watching the fire burn lower and lower and cast shadows on the wall. James black hair blended in quite nicely with the dark shadows, making it look as though his hair were shadows upon the wall.

"Hey, James," Lily said, trying not to startle him. She didn't succeed, if James jumping was any indication.

"Lils, hey," James said and grinned showing off his teeth.

"Hey," Lily repeated, feeling stupid and childish all of the sudden. It was as if she had charted a boat from the mainland and was trying to make her way to Australia. Without a map.

Book smarts and lessons she could do.

A relationship with a boy that she had claimed to hate most of her life, but had been really falling in love with…she did not have the first clue as to what to say or do.

"How come you wanted to meet? Not that I am complaining, but I thought you were going to sleep early tonight? You have bags under your eyes," He reached out and ran a fingertip along the dark purple bags Lily knew were there. She was not a girl who liked make-up, so she had made no attempt to cover them up.

Maybe she should have, maybe James would have thought her was prettier if she had.

"Yeah, running around all day kind of wears a girl out, you know," Lily said, shrugging. Her tongue felt heavy. This should not be so hard. After all, she had already admitted to having feelings to James.

Feelings that could possible turn into more then just friendship.

James laughed, "Yeah, I still say girls are sore losers."

"Said the boy who danced around in the Great Hall up and down in front of the teacher table singing 'boys kick girls' butts' at dinner today…." Lily said, feeling herself grin.

"Yeah," James grinned widely, "I think McGonagall especially liked the butt wagging in front of her…."

"Oh, gross, James! You did not seriously just say that you think McGonagall was checking you out?" Lily said shaking her head, and snorting with laughter.

That was a thought Lily had never had before, and one she found, she could have done without ever hearing.

James shrugged his shoulders, "You never know, she may have been," he replied. Then he winked, which made Lily laugh all the harder.

"Not funny," she said. "And yes, before you point it out, I am laughing, but only because it is such an awkward situation."

"Right, then," James said still grinning, "So, why did you want to meet, instead of climbing into your nice warm bed? Afraid you were going to pine for me?" he asked.

"'Pine' is such an old fashioned word," Lily said.

"I figured it sounded more…sweet, then miss," James said with a fake-injured look.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I wanted to give you a present," Lily said suddenly feeling ill at ease again. Thank Merlin James's friends had gone to bed. Lily did not allow her mind to even broach the subject, with them eavesdropping on the landing.

"You already gave me a gift, Lily," James said. He was referring to the Quidditch Repair Kit that was waiting in the upstairs dormitory.

Lily nodded her head, " I know I did, but…I have another one for you…."

"Oh?" James seemed to be picking up how ill at ease she was, because he was not asking the obvious questions like why she had not given it to him when everyone else had been opening gifts in the morning.

The answer to that question was simple; she did not want to present it to him in front of their friends.

Actually allowing him to have the gift that she was clutching tightly in her hand, was a whole other story.

"So do I get to open it?" he asked sounding less like the seventeen-year-old he was, and more like a little boy whose mum would not allow him to open a birthday present unless he ate all his peas.

Lily laughed nervously and held the box out to him, which James snagged almost at once.

"I'm sure I'll like it," James said, catching onto the awkward look that Lily had on her face.

"I know," Lily said, watching him pull the wrapping away. Under it was a golden wristwatch, something Lily had used much of her summer savings on. The face of the watch was the traditional wizarding face with the runes set along the edge, and twelve hands all facing different ways. Lily still had no idea how to read them, it was underneath the watch's face that made Lily nervous.

It was a picture of James and her from before they stopped talking to each other. Both of them had been walking along laughing quietly together… James arms had been full of Lily's books.

"It's lovely, Lily," James said, after starting at it for some time.

He seemed deeply touched by the gift, and was running his thumb over and over again over the face. Lily was suddenly glade she had put a smudge resistant charm on the glasses surface.

"It's a tradition…um, I mean in my family." Lily explained, "When someone…ah…likes someone else, and hopes it's more than …a friendship…um…they give them a …um…a watch. It's suppose to mean that I…um that is…um the giver …um…the giver has all the time in the world for the…the giver's intended." Lily could only look at James through half of what she had been saying, before dropping her gaze to the floor.

Never in a thousand years had Lily ever thought she would be telling James about her family traditions, nor did she think she would be giving him a watch.

Never mind that it was generally the male in Lily's family that gave the woman a watch.

She had always found the idea of giving a watch with the couple picture quite romantic. Her father had joked if the relationship did not work out, you could always hit the watch with a hammer. That had earned him a whack upside the head from Lily's mum.

It was true though. If the relationship ended then the watch could be shattered, and the time would stand still forever, capturing the memories that the watch used to hold, the hours, minutes and seconds it used to count.

James seemed to be staring at the watch, as though he wanted to melt the silly thing.

Lily felt her heart rate increase. What if she had been wrong? What if because of all that had happened… all the times she had rejected James, he was no longer interested?

What if their little chat the other day had just been that, a chat? The idea of had-been's and used to be's. They were all in the past.

Then she had gone and given James a stupid watch for no reason; and made a huge arse of herself.

After all, boys and girls could be friends, Remus and Lily where shining examples of that. What if that was all James wanted?

If that was so though, why had James asked her about the list? To get her hopes up and hurt her because of the secret she had kept for Remus? It was possible, but Lily doubted that James would do something as mean as that. He was just not that kind of guy.

"Of course, if you don't like it…" Lily said, "I mean it's just a …"

James reached out and pulled Lily to him, tucking her head underneath his chin and wrapping his arms tightly around her. Lily found that she rather liked this, being tucked up against James.

"Do you mean it?" he asked, against the top of her had. Lily could feel his breath moving the wispy red hair of hers.

"Mean what?" Lily would be happy to mean just about anything right then, just so she could stay in James's arms for a little while longer.

"The 'intended' part," James said.

"Oh, well, yeah I did, I wouldn't have given you the watch and said that if I did not mean it," Lily said, trying and failing not to sound relieved.

"You thought I wouldn't want it," James said, and Lily nodded against his chest. "Why?"

"Because," Lily paused, searching her brain on how to phrase this. "I thought it was just the chase that mattered."

"And not the prize?"

"Yeah," Lily said.

"Well, I happen to enjoy the chase, yes, but I enjoy the prize a lot more," James said. He turned his head, so that his cheek leaned against the crown of her head.

"I'm not much of a prize," Lily pointed out. She wondered why in the name of Merlin she had not just kept her mouth shut, and enjoyed standing in James's arms protected from every insecure thought she had.

"To me, you are," James said and Lily felt him smile against the top of her head as he pulled Lily even closer than he had before. "Happy Christmas, Lils."

"Happy Christmas, James."

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(Sirius: You're a little over the top with the romance there, but sadly, James and Lily are like that.)

(Arya: Yeah, that's what I am gathering, I thought it was sweet. You don't do sweet?)

(Sirius: Nah, I just rip their clothes off and….)

(Arya: Right, we do not need to know the rest of that sentence.)

(Sirius: You sure about that!?)

(Arya: Positive.)

(Sirius: Fine, can we at least ask these kind folks how they enjoyed the chapter?)

(Arya: Sure.)

(Sirius: You mean your letting me do it this time?)

(Arya: Yes.)

(Sirius: You are sure?)

(Arya: *sigh* Yes.)

(Sirius: I mean really really really sure?)

(Arya: *Bigger Sigh* Yes.)

(Sirius: And you won't yell at me for doing it?)

(Arya: *Biggest sigh yet* Nope.)

(Sirius: Really?)

(Arya: BLACK!)

(Sirius: Alright alright I was just checking, no need to get your knickers in a bunch.)

(Arya: Not wearing knickers, wearing a thong, and that is beside the point…)

(Sirius: What is a thong…)

(Arya: It is a form…BLACK….Are you going to ask these people to leave a review or not?)

(Sirius: Fine, fine, fine. Maybe THEY well tell me what a thong is…Please leave a detailed review about what a thong is and why it has anything to do with Arya knickers being in a bunch.)

(Arya: BLACK!)

(Sirius: Review kind people…..Aha….now remember Arya we've talked about cursing me…..)

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Fully List of Things James Potter is not allowed to do

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of rose

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans dreams come true

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of a fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

10) James Potter is never allowed to say sorry for something that he and Lily Evans are equally guilty for.

11) James Potter is not allowed to walk in the snow with Lily Evans

12) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans use him as a bed nor is he allowed to make Lily Evans see him all bed rumbled and cute.

13) James Potter is not allowed to prove to Lily Evans how "macho of a man" he is.

14) James Potter is not allowed to agree to meet Lily Evans for a "secret meeting"


	10. Chapter 10 At the Stroke of Midnight

Disclaimer- I am not J.K Rowling, I just get to have fun with her characters.

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"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Albus Dumbledore

Chapter Ten

At The Stroke of Midnight

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. –Alfred Tennyson

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Rain hammered hard against the windowpanes of Hogwarts, turning the one-powdery snow into slush. Glasses planes rattled in there sills, as the wind sought a way inside of the stone castle.

As the end of Christmas holidays drew nearer, Hogwarts halls began filling up again. The lively spirit of Christmas vanished like a large goose placed upon the table, and then devoured by ten hungry men.

The whispers about missing and murdered people sprang up again, the once quiet rumblings that had died out over break building in momentum.

James had taken to searching The Daily Prophet each morning, breathing a sigh of relief every time he got past the first page.

Lily did not bother to ask what it was he was looking for in the printed black ink of The Prophet. She knew that James's parents were both Aurors, and while they had been near retirement, they were active again, due to the sudden killings.

Teachers stood grouped together looking cross and tired, as though a great weight had been dumped onto their shoulders. Many of them had heavy bags under their eyes, as if they had not been sleeping well. None looked worse than the headmaster, though. His normally sparkling blue eyes looked listless and tired. His mouth, which was normally drawn up into a smile was now pulled down at the corners. A frown didn't look right on the headmaster's face. It looked almost as though someone had taken a smiling doll, and drawn a frown on its face.

Within the walls of the school, it was easy to ignore the dark rumblings of what was going on outside. You just had to shove your nose into a book, or jump headlong into studying. Yet within the past year, Lily had learned you could not walk through life with blinders on.

The world was not painted in her perfect vision of black, white, and grey. It was splashed with a thousand different colors, and sometimes those colors were sad. The silly thought Lily had always had: that every rainbow had a pot of gold at its end was stupid.

Naïve.

That was the word Lily would use to describe herself. Here she was, trying to live in a perfect little bubble, and kicking everything that did not fit in that bubble to the curb. She was the cheerleader in those romance novels that she had always hated. The stuck up one that would never give the kind man a chance, and by the time she did it was too late…because some war or another big accident happened and took him away from her.

Lily shuddered at that thought.

Could she really lose James so soon after agreeing to date him?

Fate was not kind. It liked to play tricks on you, and to slap you hard in the face for the mistakes you made. Sometimes it gave you the fairy tale ending, but Lily doubted that would be the case. Not with some many kidnappings cropping up, and whole family's dying.

These were not everyday occurrences, yet. It seemed every few days someone else came up missing, or another name would be added to the death list.

The Minister had thrown out a far-fetched idea that it was werewolves wreaking all the havoc around the area. He had demanded a bill be passed that would make all werewolves register, as their illness made them deadly weapons that the Ministry had a right to know about.

Of course the magical community had been split down the middle with that. Half thought the bill was something that was not only needed, but something that should have been done a long time ago. They went as far as to say those who were living as werewolves should be put to death.

A more sensible side fueled by Dumbledore, pointed out that most werewolves were not intentionally evil. Most tried to find a quiet place to stay the night of the full moon. Only a very few thought it was their duty and mission to bring their kind into power.

With Dumbledore standing up against it the bill had been smashed, and the Ministry went on to find the real reason behind what was going on.

The topic about what had happened between the Ministry and Dumbledore became a main topic among the students of Hogwarts, when they grew tired of talking about the killings.

After the first day of the wild allegations Lily heard (about Dumbledore leading an army to bring down the Ministry and how he was out for purity of the werewolf race) she had stopped listening to a thing they said.

If any of them had any sense in their small brains, they would stop and think about a werewolf's true nature. Werewolves hunted and killed, they didn't take the bodies and hide them, or make whole families disappear.

"Good morning, Lily- Flower," James' voice interrupted Lily's mustangs, and she started.

Lily's left hand was asleep, and she let it drop into her lap as she sat up a little straighter. The cup of coffee she had been drinking seemed to have gone cold, if the cream curdling in it was any indication. Her right hand cramped as she peeled her fingers away from The Daily Prophet, and wiggled them about.

"No 'good morning'?" James asked, sitting down next to Lily and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Sorry," Lily said, folding up the paper, "Morning." Pulling her wand, out she tapped her coffee mug and watched as white steam began to rise from the warming liquid.

"You okay?" James asked, although Lily knew all he wanted to do was snatch the paper from her hands and scan its inky black pages.

"They're not mentioned in there," she said softly, putting her wand back into her robes.

"Huh?" James asked, giving her a blank look.

"Your parents," Lily said, "No mention of them in The Prophet."

James gave her a relived smile, "Am I that obvious?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Lily gave him a little shrug, passing the sugar. "Nah, I suppose you're not. I just know you a lot better then you or I thought. Or maybe more than I thought," Lily said, and James grinned widely.

"True, very true," he said, and began shoveling eggs into his mouth.

Lily glanced at her watch. It had been a little past five when she had left the common room and wandered down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Now it was past eight, and as she looked around she realized the Great Hall had filled up around her while she daydreamed, and was slowly emptying again.

"I've been thinking," she said messing with her coffee. She took a drink, and then made a face. Reheated coffee tasted disgusting!

Smiling James took the mug from her, waved his wand and then filled the cup with fresh coffee. He began to add cream and sugar as he peered at her through his spectacles.

"As opposed to anything else you do?" he asked, and Lily laughed.

"Thank you," Lily said taking the cup back from him and tasting it. It was perfection. Caffeinated perfection. James went back to shoveling food into his mouth.

"Are you going to ask what I have been thinking about?" Lily said, snatching a piece of his bacon.

James gave her the hairy eyeball, but Lily only smiled innocently as she crunched.

"What were you thinking about, Lily-Love?" James asked finally, shaking his head with a laugh.

"School," Lily said.

James snorted loudly.

Lily was surprised that egg did not spray from his mouth all over the place.

"This is our last New Year at Hogwarts, James," Lily said handing him her napkin. "And everyone is so frightened about what is going on in the outside world. I just think we would all benefit from…some mischief."

James coughed hard, and Lily patted his back. "James?" James cleared his throat twice before looking at Lily like she had grown two heads. "What?"

"Did you really just say what I think you said?" James asked.

"Aha," Lily said. "Possibly? What did I say?"

"That we would benefit from some mischief?" James said slowly, as though he could not believe she was saying those words.

"Aha…yeah, I did,"

James looked at her as though she had grown two heads.

"James? What is the matter? It's not like I told you to pin me up against a wall and lay one on me like you meant it." As the words left Lily mouth, a loud laugh bubbled up from her chest. The look on James's face was priceless. His mouth opened and shut again and again, as if Lily had slapped him speechless. "What?" she asked.

"Pin you against a wall?" James asked, and all Lily did was laugh.

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An hour later Lily sat between James and Sirius in the back corner of the library. Remus and Peter sat across from them, idly flipping through books.

Lily had been shocked to find out that James and his friends had hatched many schemes between these bookshelves. She had always thought James had no idea where or what the library was, but as she was finding out there was a lot more to James Potter then met the eye.

Lily was not quite sure how she had ended up in a scheming session with James and his friends. James had become rather excited after Lily mentioned Hogwarts needing a bit of fun. She had the sneaking suspicion that now she had said she was okay with a bit of mischief, James would be taking full advantage.

"It is our final New Year at Hogwarts." James was saying, keeping an eye out for Madam Pince, the hawk-like librarian, "and the New Year should be started off with style."

"I agree, what to do is the question," Sirius said, flipping a page of his book without really seeing the words.

"Whatever we plan, we cannot let it get in the way of our N.E.W.T studying," Remus said, and Lily nodded in agreement.

"What do they need test scores for, anyway?" Sirius said scornfully.

"Because they help with our future career choices," Lily said quickly. Remus had a tired look on his face that said they had had this conversation one too many times before. Sirius snorted, sounding like a wounded hippogriff.

"It won't interfere with studying," James said quickly, stopping any future discussions as to why the N.E. were important.

Peter had been silent through all of this, vibrating with excitement in his seat. In the silence that lagged, he burst out in a nasally voice, "So what are you going to do, James?"

Everyone at the table hushed him throwing looks around in case Madam Pince had heard him.

Lily stifled a laugh. She had always thought that Peter had a guy-crush on James. The fact that he seemed to hero worship James only made that idea stronger.

"Well," she said, afraid if she did not say something she would burst out laughing, "we could do something like the Muggles do in Times Square."

"Times Square?" Sirius asked. James was looking at her blankly.

"Times Square is in New York City, in America," Lily explained. "Every New Year hundreds of hundreds go there to watch the crystal ball drop down. Its like one big party with a bunch of fireworks," Lily said.

"Where does the ball drop?" Sirius asked.

"Not on any of the people," Peter cried, although he did manage to keep his voice low.

"Oh, no it doesn't," Lily said reassuringly to him. "It lowers as the clock slowly moves towards midnight. When the clock strikes twelve, the ball fully drops, and then the fireworks go off.

Peter looked relived. James was looking thoughtful.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea," Sirius said, while Remus nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it should keep us relatively out of trouble too," he said.

"You worry to much, Moony," Sirius said.

"Only because you don't, Padfoot," Remus shot back.

"I worry, I just do not dwell on the worry," Sirius said.

"Moony? Padfoot?" Lily asked James in a whisper.

"Nicknames," James explained, with a grin as Remus and Sirius bickered with each other about who worried too much and who did not worry enough.

Lily grinned to herself shaking her head slightly. The names were rather fitting for the two boys.

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Lily awoke with a start the next morning, feeling as if she had she been awake for hours. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, hoping sleep would return. Sleeping in one day of her whole Christmas break would have been a dream come true. She would have even settled to sleep in past seven o'clock. As vacation ran down though, that dream was fading fast.

Groaning Lily rolled from bed, wriggling her feet on the cold stone floor. A quick glance at her watch told Lily it was an hour before dawn. Plenty of time for more sleep, had she been tired.

Pulling on her robe and slippers, Lily headed downstairs to the common room. Here pre-dawn light flickered and danced with the glowing flames of the fire.

Lily crossed the room toward it, enjoying the gentle crackle of flames talking. Thinking to warm herself and then go back upstairs to try and sleep, Lily flopped into one of the more comfy chairs.

A soft grunt came from the one beside her made Lily glance over.

_She was not highly observant at times._

"James," Lily said softly, reaching out and touching his shoulder.

James yawned and stretched unwinding himself from the awkward position he had dozed off in. His neck popped loudly, as he straightened himself out.

"Lily. Good morning," he said, sounding sleepy.

"Good morning, James," Lily could not help but think how cute he looked his hair standing even more on end, and his glasses slightly askew. "You're up early," she said, noting the robe and pinstriped pajamas that he was wearing.

"You are too," James pointed out, giving Lily an appraising look.

Lily blushed, wishing she had dressed fully before coming downstairs that morning.

"True, but I was not snoring in the common room."

"I do not snore," James said, indignantly.

"Do so," Lily said.

"Do _not_," James said, pouting. He shifted a little in his chair rustling a piece of parchment that lay in his lap.

"Fine, you don't. What is that?" Lily asked. She could see large curving letters on the yellowish paper. While teasing James sound like a fun idea, she was more interested in finding out more about the paper, as she assumed that was why he was sitting downstairs so early in the morning.

"News about my parents," James said, holding the letter up for Lily to see, "They have missed a few check in times." Lily held her breath; this is what James had been searching for in every Daily Prophet since Christmas. "But it's nothing they haven't done before. I'm sure when they can they…they will check in,"

He looked at Lily, as if begging her to confirm what he thought.

"Oh…um," Lily bit her lip, unable to think what to say. The odds that James's parents would turn up were slim to none. Disillusioning himself about it would not help James in the short or long run. "James, you know what's been going on right now in our world," Lily said, kindly.

"You don't know my parents, Lils," James said quickly, "They are the best Aurors."

Lily was sure they were, although she had never meant them; she could see their talent reflected in their only son.

It was such a contrast to see the normally cool, logical and level headed James refusing to look at the facts. He was looking at Lily so earnestly, that the next words had to force themselves out through a tightly squeezed throat.

"James, everyone who has vanished has not reappeared. And those that do are not…living anymore," Lily said. "I know I don't know your parents, but if they are anything like you….they would be a force to be reckoned with. They would stand in the way of whatever is going on with all these…killings."

Lily half expected James to get angry about the words, or for him to say again that she did not know his parents. Instead he was quiet, looking into the dancing flames of the fire, which reflected in his eyes.

The piece of parchment he had been reading before dozing off earlier lay in his lap like an open book. One hand held onto it, rubbing its side as if seeking some comfort from it. Lily reached out and took James's hand rubbing soft circles with her thumb.

"I don't know what to think," James said finally. Lily nodded. No bodies to confirm or deny that his parents where gone made it difficult to know what to think or feel.

Lily let out a breath trying to look at this situation as her mother would, logically. "Just don't disillusion yourself about the possibility of them being gone, James. I know it's not a possibility that you want to look at…"

"But it is a possibility, none the less," James said, turning his hand over and threading his fingers through Lily's own.

"Yeah," Lily said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"So how am I supposed to act? Go into mourning? Pretend nothing has changed or happened? Keep searching The Daily Prophet for any news of them?" James asked, looking at her and running a hand through his hair.

"I think," Lily said tracing her teeth with her tongue for a moment while she searched for the right words. "I think what you need to do is what your heart is telling you to do," she finished.

"You're my heart, Lils," James said.

It was rather sappy thing to be saying, and brought heat flooding to Lily's cheeks as she thought of a way to answer him back.

"Then be you," Lily said finally.

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"He has gone mental," Sirius said on New Year's Eve.

Lily looked up from the piece of bacon she had been eating; tugging at the red turtleneck she wore. Outside, rain pelted the windows and wind snuck through the cracks making a howling noise.

Sirius was sitting across from Lily at the breakfast table, watching as James strolled out of the Great Hall together with Remus. Lily took another crunchy bite of bacon, enjoying the flavor as it washed across her tongue.

Sirius turned to look at her, Lily sucked in a breath. Although she had never found Sirius Black attractive before, now she could see why every girl at Hogwarts would take a roll in the hay with him. His hair was longish and slightly curly around the color his grey eyes sparkling in the candlelight of the Great Hall. A slight frown pulled at his lips, while a form fitting grey turtleneck showed off the well-defined muscles of his chest and arms. He was cute, but he was not up to James standards.

"How has he gone mental?" Lily asked taking another bite of bacon. She did not want it to get back to James that she had been drooling about his best friend, however fleeting that drooling moment had been.

Sirius gave her a look that said clearly she was not only supposed to know why he had gone mental, but was supposed to know how to fix it. "This….this thing with his parents!" Sirius said, waving a piece of toast around.

"Oh." Lily said calmly, picking up another piece of bacon and biting into it, "He is just handling things as well as he can, Sirius. We all handle things differently."

The day she had talked to James, Lily had sent a letter off to her mum asking for her advice on how to help James through this. The best thing her mum had said was to be there, and to remember people handle stuff different from one another. She had also given Lily a stern warning that losing a loved one could kick one's sex drive into overdrive. Lily had snorted at that, she and James had not even kissed yet.

"I suppose," Sirius said moodily, crunching into his toast and chewing loudly.

Lily looked up at him, chewing her bacon thoughtfully. Sirius had spent many summers at the Potters home from what Lily had gathered. According to Remus, Sirius family was pretty rotten, the term "gutter rats" popped into Lily's mind.

The Potters had become like stand-in parents to Sirius in the time since he had run away from his parents' place.

Having them missing would be as difficult to Sirius as it would be for James. It was no wonder he was so moody lately.

Lily finished her bacon off, and watched Sirius as he stabbed at a pile of scrambled eggs. Thinking back over the last several days, she would think that her life had turned into a romance book without the illicit sex scene, at least not a sex scene that was happening to her.

"I'm sorry. Sirius. I forgot the Potters were stand-in parents to you," Lily said. She did not want to upset Sirius by becoming emotional or mushy with him. He did not strike Lily as the kind to want a whole lot of emotion spent on him. She doubted that he had ever cried once in his life.

Sirius looked up at her catching her with his piercing grey eyes, "Yeah, guess they were," he said gruffly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lily offered, "or do you want to go help Lupin and Potter with whatever it is you have plotted for the New Year."

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh at that, "You're not half bad, Red," he said.

"Thanks?" Lily asked, shaking her head. "Come on, let's go find the boys," she said standing up as Sirius did, and leading the way out of the Great Hall.

"So have anyone you want to kiss to bring in the New Year?" Lily asked, as they walked along, Lily expected to head to the library, but Sirius lead them towards the third floor corridor.

Sirius let out another bark-like laugh again, startling several second years that all jumped and then glared. Lily glanced at them, no one was wearing their school robes at the moment so it was hard to tell, but she had the feeling from their scornful looks they were Slytherins.

Lily stuck her tongue out at them, feeling as if that was the most adult answer she could give them, without getting herself our Sirius into trouble. It was shocking how unimportant she thought rules were now. Bending them once in a while was not an issue, as long as no one got hurt. Besides, it was good to keep the teachers on their toes; it did them no good to let them get comfy at their desk.

"Do I want to know how you lot plan to pull off this prank? Lily asked as they walked along. As school would be starting up again on January the third, the corridors were a lot more crowded then they had been. Lily had to take longer steps to keep up with Sirius; and while she kept her voice down, it still seemed some students heard what she had said. They were giving her strange looks.

"It's tricky," Sirius said leading her down an empty corridor, "We need to figure out how to make the trick work in four different house as well as the staff room and the headmaster's offices. Remus seems to have figured that out though. He is just ironing out the few wrinkles left in the plan," Sirius explained.

Lily had to stop herself from asking if he and the others were insane. It was one thing to make a display of fireworks appear in the common rooms; it was another thing entirely to do it in the staff room and headmaster's offices. The fact that Lily had given them the idea about it in the first places made Lily question her own sanity

"I'm going to regret ever giving you lot this idea. I just know I am," Lily said.

Sirius laughed, "I'm sure you will. Look at it this way, though. Your bringing New Year's to Hogwarts with a loud bang!" He clapped his hands together.

Lily grunted, rolling her eyes. Hogwarts already had New Year's. It was just not as widely celebrated as Christmas was. Most students were regretting the end of the holidays, and trying to get back into a routine of some sort, which meant New Years fell by the wayside.

"Moaning Myrtle's toilet?" Lily asked, disbelief coloring her tone as the stopped in front of the out-of-order bathroom.

"Yeah, it's the best place to bring plans together, especially when the library is too crowded." Sirius said.

Lily bit back her retort again. While she could agree that no one wanted to have a pee where Moaning Myrtle was in the next stall, she did not see the sanity in hatching plans here.

"I'm beginning to see why you lot are always getting into so much trouble," Lily said, "Do you ever study?" she asked following Sirius into the bathroom and stepping around a large pool of water that was lying in front of the door.

"No," Sirius said shaking his head.

"Sirius, excellent! Took you long enough to finish eating," James jested grinning as his mate walked in, "Hi, Lils," he said.

"Hello," Lily said, trying to get her mind around the fact James was in a girls' toilet. The fact that his friends and he acted as if this was a normal everyday occurrence was even harder to grasp.

"We finally got all the kinks out of the plan!" James said, with a triumphant air.

Remus was bending over a piece of parchment, and behind him Peter was bouncing from foot to foot with a large grin on his face that reminded Lily of a mouse about to eat the cheese.

Lily glanced over Remus's shoulder; the headmaster's office was drawn across the face of the yellow parchment in black ink. Remus was running his fingers gently over the swelling lines. "The headmaster's office was the hardest location to work out, but we did."

Lily was not sure what he meant about that, but she was sure she did not want to know.

Whatever James and his friends had cooked up seemed based on Lily's Times Square in New York story, although what they could have come up from such a vague story was beyond her.

Remus rolled up the piece of parchment, tapped it once so it sealed and tucked it into his robes.

"I really am going to regret this," Lily said, watching the parchment vanish into Remus's pocket. The boys laughed. Peter double-checked that the coast was clear and they all filed out of the bathroom, heading to the common room.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in leisure activities. Remus played Peter at Wizard's Chess and beat him ten different ways within the first hour. Lily, James, and Sirius sat about talking about mundane things, while offering Peter advice on how to win at chess.

It was one of the most normal afternoons Lily had ever spent at Hogwarts.

Near dinnertime, Sirius rose, stretched and sauntered off to an undisclosed destination.

Lily watched him go. In all the time Lily had known him, she had never seen Sirius in a turtleneck. It was odd seeing him in one, although he had the right body type to pull it off.

What her mum had said in the letter came floating across her mind again. Sex drives could be kicked into overdrive in times of great stress.

The Potters had been like family to Sirius, the surrogate parents that Sirius should have been given. Not knowing what would happen with the Potters probably had Black's stress levels off the charts and his sex drive kicked up to high. When tension built up, it was a good idea to release it before it rose into unhealthy levels. Sex was a good way to do that, and although Lily was not close to Sirius, she knew that sex was something he enjoyed doing.

Lily glanced around the common room, trying to see if anyone else had left when Black did. Sadly, there was no big gap in the groups of people, or a large sign saying this person had been there and gone.

Settling back into her seat, Lily trying to think who would put up with Sirius's bad boy attitude. She knew that almost ever girl who had eyes would like to jump his bones. If Lily thought back, she could remember Sirius was often disappearing during the day. So had Hestia.

Again Lily sat up looking slowly around the common room. While Hestia had gotten back a few days ago, she was absent from the common room. Frowning, Lily tried to remember if she had been gone before or after Sirius had left but Lily could have no idea.

Slouching back into her seat, Lily watched Remus and Peter playing chess.

If Hestia was hooking up with Sirius, and that was a huge IF, then which of her friends would be hooking up with Peter?

Lily could not think that any of the girls she hung out with would date Peter; they all preferred the Quidditch playing overly muscled type.

Maybe Peter would hook up with a Hufflepuff girl. They were mellow-mannered and sweet, the perfect personality mix with Peter's.

Peter let out a small groan, as though someone had just slapped him; Lily glanced at the chessboard. Peter had just left his queen open to attack when sacrificing a pawn to Remus knight.

"You look thoughtful," James said, running a hand down Lily's back.

Lily smiled, leaning into the touch that sent little shock waves up and down her spine. "Just trying to guess what you lot have planned," Lily said lightly.

James chuckled, leaning over and moving one of Peter's pawns to block his queen.

The rest of the afternoon ticked away. James bravely tried to teach Lily how to play Exploding Snap.

"A game," he said, while Remus regrew his eyebrows, '"that is not for the faint of heart."

It was after dinner that she James, Remus, and Peter noticed something was amiss. Malfoy, Regulus Black, his deranged cousin Bellatrix and her sister Narcissa were standing in the doorway of the Entrance Hall.

As they drew level with the lot of them, their conversation broke off. James reached out and dragged Lily closer, putting himself between the Slytherins and her. Remus was beside her, and had gone rather white knuckled holding tightly to her hand.

Given that there were teachers watching, the Slytherins only hissed insults at them. Lily ignored them; hoping Remus was being smart and doing the same. There words were just a bunch of rubbish anyway. James beamed at them as they went by.

"Lovely evening," he said brightly, "Have a good New Year tonight!"

Lily glanced at him sharply, what on earth had he cooked up for the Slytherins.

She had paid him no mind when they had said they had cooked up a surprise for all four common rooms, an oversight she was almost positive she would regret later. Malfoy gave a small snarl.

Lily kindly suggested he invest in a toothbrush.

"I think we're rubbing off on you," James said, leading the way towards the common room.

Lily laughed, giving a halfhearted shrug.. Lily was not sure if she would have said anything like she had to Malfoy before hanging out with James and his group, but she did not regret saying something.

As they walked along, Lily could hear the group of students they passed gossiping loudly. The gist of the words was that something big was going down at midnight.

"James?" Lily said stepping up next to him. "What does everyone seem to think is going to be happening tonight?"

James grinned even wider taking Lily's hand in his. "We may have let something slip. It lets some excitement build as the evening wears on."

"Oh," Lily said. She could remember other pranks… knowing that something was going to happen before it had happened, but not knowing what was going to have happen.

"Fizzing Whizbees," Remus said to the portrait of The Fat Lady.

"Right you are," The Fat Lady said, swinging forward and revealing the hole that lead to the common room.

A whoop of noise pressed against Lily's eardrums. Lily grimaced, clambering up and through after James. It was a rather nice view to be peering at as they climbed into the common room. Students were packed in like rats in a maze. On the other side of the common room, on either side of the fire, two large tables stood. The tables were leaden heavily with different treats, snakes and Butterbeers. A large bowl of punch stood in the middle of each table. On either side of the punch bowls were crackers which let off with a large bang.

Students were wearing funny looking hats, and small white mice ran about in between the buffet dishes. Lily wrinkled her nose; she was not very fond of mice.

"Nice," Lily said, glancing around as James pressed a cool Butterbeer into her hand. While she was not fond of mice, this was a party to rival that of winning the Quidditch Cup.

James grinned again, slinging an arm about Lily's shoulders and pulling her even closer to him.

"Talent, plain and simple," he said, pulling Lily over to a loveseat, and sitting down. Lily stretched her legs.

"So modest too," she said, laughing and sipping on her Butterbeer.

"Ain't that the truth?" James said sipping on his own drink. "Everyone seems to be having a good time."

"It's a party fit to rival a victory party when we win the Cup, it's hard not to have a good time," Lily said.

She had to agree with James. Everyone was grinning talking loudly to drown the others out.

Lily snuggled back into the couch against James side, occasionally sipping on her Butterbeer. The nose of the party hammered against her eardrums. It was almost like listening to loud waves crashing up the beach.

Time seemed to drag on. Even though they had just eaten dinner, many students were shoving platefuls of food into their mouths. Every few moments someone would pull a cracker and a loud bang would mingle the sounds of talking. Straining her ears, Lily could hear a quiet undertone of music that sounded as though it was one of the top wizarding bands.

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"Almost show time!" Sirius said.

Lily jumped, startled out of her doze. James grabbed her Butterbeer, before Lily could slosh it onto anyone.

"Tired there, Red?" Sirius asked, and Lily grinned rubbing sleep from her eyes. It appeared she was not the only one who was sleepy, or dozing slightly

Many students had settled into chairs, and onto couches about the common room. Some holding plates of food, and others half-empty drinks.

Reaching up, Lily tried to discreetly to wipe the drool on her face. Judging by the looks on Sirius and James's faces, she was not successful. "What time is it anyway?" Lily asked, to deflect any rubbing they may be planning.

"It's about elven fifty," James said, lifting his arm from Lily's shoulders to look at his watch.

Quiet a few of the fellow Gryffindors had seen the time, and began waking up their friends.

"Should we be doing anything to get ready?" Lily asked, sitting up straighter and sipping the Butterbeer she had taken back from James.

"Nope," James said. Remus and Peter came over and joined them. Remus dropped down next to her, and glanced up at the ceiling.

Frowning, Lily looked up at the ceiling herself. A large ball was levitating up there. It was reminiscent of a large crystal ball. "Nice isn't, Lils?" Remus asked grinning.

Peter sniggered slightly. "I hope the Slytherins enjoy their New Year's surprises," he said, quivering in excitement.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked looking at Peter and frowning.

"You don't want to know," Sirius said.

"Peter, hush," James told Peter, and looked at his watch again,

"Two minutes," he said looking around the common room.

Their fellow Gryffindors had began speaking again, excitement coloring their tones.

Lily grinned taking another swallow of her Butterbeer. It was hard not to be excited. While she had been in the know about what was going to happen, she did not know entirely what the Marauders had planned.

The torches suddenly burned out and the common room fire became the only source of light. A few people gasped, and a few others laughed. Lily heard what sounded like shattering glasses, which made her think someone had dropped their Butterbeer.

"What is going on?" someone hollered, and quite a few others echoed that question.

Lily grinned, wondering how everyone else in the other common rooms would be reacting. She nestled closer to James side squinting in the firelight trying to see what was going on.

"Forty-five seconds now," James said. He reached out stealing a sip of Lily's own Butterbeer. "Thirty seconds" he said again looking at his watch. How he was able to see it in the dim firelight was beyond Lily. "Twenty more seconds."

It was shocking to think that mere seconds could seem like long drawn out minutes, but that did always seem the way when one was anticipating something. "Ten seconds now," James said.

Lily did not need James counting down anymore. The large disco ball had lite up brightly ticking down the final seconds. While the colors of the letters were black the background colors of the ball began changing colors. Beams of red, green, gold, blue, bronze, silver, yellow, and black lit up the common room, mixing with the bright orange flames that danced in the grate.

Gryffindor faces were lit up, their lips tugged up in smiles or frowns of anticipation.

A low whistling sound began echoed throughout the common room. Lily groaned, glancing at James who was grinning in expectation. Frowning, Lily looked up again watching the ball begin to spin. The whistle was groaning louder as it spun faster in the air. Small popping noises echoed along with the whistling sound.

Lily could remember hearing these sounds before a large fireworks display had gone off.

"No one is going to get hurt, are they?" Lily asked James as the ball's clock hit one.

"No," James said, "At least not here!"

A large boom echoed throughout the common room. A hundred different colors flashed through the room, glitter drifted down from the exploded ball with candy and small treats and prizes falling down around them.

Torches ignited again fizzling different colors, and letting off whizzing echoes as different colored fireworks shot off into the air with a whiz. Many couples and single students had kissed each other as the ball hit zero and exploded.

Lily pulled her eyes away from the exploding ball to look at James. He was looking at her, and Lily doubted he had seen the ball exploded at midnight.

Was he going to kiss her? Would Lily let him if he moved to kiss her? Was their relationship ready to go there?

James leaned towards her brushing is lips across Lily's forehead. "Happy New Year, Lily," he whispered.

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Sunlight glared through the dorm windows and heated Lily's bed. A moment later, a cold draft would enter her bones causing her teeth to chatter. Groaning, Lily tied her hair back into a ponytail before heading out of the dorm and common room to breakfast. Only a few students littered the hallways as Lily made her way down to the Great Hall.

Glancing out the windows she passed, Lily could see in and out patches of sunlight breaking through the grey clouds. A fine mist of rain fell down and miles of snow had turned into what looked like big piles of slush.

a group of Slytherins was standing in the Entrance Hall. Looking at them Lily could see Malfoy, Black's younger brother, and his evil cousins, Bellatrix and Narcissa.

Lily could see that the sisters' hair was singed, and one of the others was holding his overly large bottom as if the memory of some discomfort was fresh in his mind.

Lily slowed down slightly as she went pass them trying to catch what they were saying.  
"Apparently Lupin has more nerve then we thought," Regulus Black was saying.

"He must have told his blasted friends," Nott said. Lily had not known he was there.

"So what do we do now?" Narcissa said. Lily watched Bella's lip curl slightly.

"We back off for now," Malfoy said, patting his sleek blond hair.

Lily looked closer as she drew nearer to them; his hair was burned as well. Lily stifled a laugh. Bellatrix mouth was pressed into on flat line.

"Good morning," Lily said cheerfully as she went by. "What a wonderful New Year's Eve party, huh?"

"Mudblood!" Bellatrix yelled.

Laughing at their faces of the Lily headed for the Gryffindor table.

Dark whispers about unknown menaces were still floating around; people they cared about, knew or loved were still missing. There were so many unknown things going on at present in their world.

Something was coming, of that Lily was sure. The one thing Lily was sure of was it would be one wild broomstick ride to finding out.

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(Sirius: So Lily seems to have a bit more of backbone then I thought when it comes to the Slytherins.)

(Arya: I think you lot are just rubbing off on her.)

(Sirius: I am so proud.)

(Arya: I am sure you are.)

(Sirius: Little Red is growing up!)

(Arya: Hah.)

(Sirius: Leave us some love kind people, and let me know how you like our latest prank!)

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Fully List of Things James Potter is not allowed to do

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of rose

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans dreams come true

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of a fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

10) James Potter is never allowed to say sorry for something that he and Lily Evans are equally guilty for.

11) James Potter is not allowed to walk in the snow with Lily Evans

12) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans use him as a bed nor is he allowed to make Lily Evans see him all bed rumbled and cute.

13) James Potter is not allowed to prove to Lily Evans how "macho of a man" he is.

14) James Potter is not allowed to agree to meet Lily Evans for a "secret meeting"

15) James Potter is not allowed to get Lily Evans to help him with a prank.

16) James Potter is not allowed to show Lily Evans were his secret prank meetings are held.

17) James Potter is not allowed to tell Lily Evans she is her heart a utterly sappy line that would make any girl with half a romantic bone swooon.

18) James Potter is not allowed to "kiss" Lily Evans on midnight on New Years.

19) James Potter is not allowed to take one of Lily Evans story's and turn it into a prank.

20) James Potter is not allowed to teach Lily Evan's a new game.

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(Sirius: Wait. Wait. Wait!)

(Arya: Gee Black, need the ear drums! What is the matter?)

(Sirius: The Beta Reader!)

(Arya: Yes, she's ne-)

(Sirius: She's new and with a name like MarauderishMischiefMaker, you know she has to be a kindered spirit to us Mauradars. Or wannabe's like you!)

(Arya- I may take offense to that...)

(Sirius: Go ahead! anyway this is like her second story but she'll be sticking around for quiet a few more with us I should say. Because we found her first.)

(Arya: No we found her second.)

(Sirius: Whatever! We found she's ours. And we'll share. But we get her back. She can only go on loan.)

(Arya: Shes not a broom stick Black.)

(Sirius: Still, she belongs to Operation Get My Lily and any by products of Black and A. Lupin.)

(Arya:...o.o...)


	11. Chapter 11 Remus Furry Little Secert

Disclaimer- I am not the brilliant amazing J.K Rowling I just get to have fun with her brilliant characters.

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You place too much importance... on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!- Albus Dumbloder

Chapter Ten

Remus Furry Little Secert

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." ― Roald Dahl

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As January passed, the snow about Hogwarts began to melt. Rumors- which had been flying wildly since before the New Year—had increased as time went by. The Daily Prophet had caught wind of the missing Aurors, and began questioning whether or not their Ministry could keep them safe. Rain hammered hard against the windows of Hogwarts; the glass in the windowpanes shaking from the wrath of the wind. It was chilly in the large corridors of Hogwarts, and flames on torches flickered as students walked along. Strange shadows danced up and down the walls, making many students and teachers jumpier than bullfrogs.

As term began to pick up, fifth and seventh year students became buried underneath a heavy tide of homework. More often than not, the library was packed until curfew with students scrambling to keep straight which subject had what project due when. Bags began appearing under eyes, as students stayed up late studying

Stress and tension began running high between friends, and a series of small fights broke out. While they were quick fights that were easily broken up, they only heightened the tension that hung about the corridors. The only release was found in the inter-house championships.

Quidditch had begun again in the flurry of snow. Players would kick up hard from the frozen ground, letting the howls and boos from those who came out to watch echo in their ears. The first official game since returning to school would be that weekend. Although the teachers were exhausted, all of them were hesitant to cancel the game, because they too had been able to senses the tension growing between students as the houses turned on each other

No house was less popular then Slytherin. The common phrase, "No one had not gone bad in Slytherin house!" spread like wildfire throughout the corridors. Most of the fights that broke out involved the Slytherins; and James, Peter, Sirius and Remus's pranks were in high demand.

In the past Lily would have frowned upon and scorned their antics, but now she found them humorous. At least no one got hurt, and it broke up the fights between the other houses and Slytherin. She found herself spending a few free minutes here and there helping to plot whatever prank they were going to be pulling next.

James was light-hearted and good-natured during those times, and it was only when he thought no one was looking did he become more serious. His eyes would search quickly over The Daily Prophet, which he had shoved nonchalantly into his robe pockets, searching for news of his parents. On that front the Ministry had been rather silent, giving no news to those missing loved ones.

Sirius seemed to be taking things more in stride. He was taking his classes a lot more seriously then he had in the past. The sudden interest in Charms made Lily wonder what could possibly be going on in Sirius's mind. One night, when he asked for her help in Charms, she finally inquired.

"What's going on here, Sirius?"

He had shrugged and grinned, not his usual smirk, but a true smile. "If someone's going to hunt down my family just because they feel like it, I'm going to teach them a lesson."

Lily had laughed at that before dropping down next to him, and showing him the complex charm he had been working on.

Lily had never thought she would see the day when Sirius Black would be taking his classes seriously. Then again, she never thought she would see the day when her world would be attacked at random.

It was easy to see how the tide was going. Whoever was doing this were after the Muggle-borns, and those who would protect the Muggle-borns. Thinking about what was happening was scary, considering Lily herself was Muggle-born, meaning she was a target.

Innocent people were being killed and hurt, and while Lily did not think she wanted to join up with the Ministry, she wanted to become a Healer. She wanted to find a way to help prevent what was happening, before it turned even worse and became a full-fledged war. This had been her world for so long, watching it fall like a burning house of wood was heartbreaking. Lily was not a fighter, but she was a mother hen.

A mother hen who would peck whoever hurt her family to death.

Without thinking about it, Lily knew what she'd do.

She would become a Healer and help those who got hurt, and if and when an army was built up she would fight back against it.

Turning from her spot in the common room, Lily looked over at James and amended her thought.

She would become a Healer and help those who got hurt. If and when an army was built up she would fight back against it with James, and whoever else was brave enough to fight.

"You look so serious over there, Lils," Remus said, snapping his fingers in front of Lily's nose. Lily grinned and shook her head.

"I'm not Sirius," she said, picking up her quill again scratching down a couple of words on the piece of parchment in front of her. "He is."

"Ha, ha, ha," Sirius called from across the common room, where he was busy practicing turning himself into a couch.

Lily stuck her tongue out, before going back to her own parchment and assignment. It was so odd how light-hearted everyone was acting about everything going on. It was as if they did not want to think about anything that wasn't going on within the walls of Hogwarts, only giving the outside world a passing thought here and there whenever the tension built and spilled over, or the strange articles built up. They seemed to be hanging out in a weird limbo.

"I was just thinking about things," Lily said not even bothering to try and make up an excuse.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Remus asked. He had adopted the saying from Lily shortly after they met, and seemed to like it as he kept using it over the years.

"Nah," Lily said flipping her book shut. It was no use trying to finish her Potions easy at that moment. It was time for rounds anyway,

"I best get going," Lily said picking up her cloak, and swinging it around her shoulders. She gave Sirius and Remus a small wave, and strolled out of the common room knowing that James would follow in a few minutes.

The corridors of Hogwarts were strangely quiet, as they had never been during the early hours of the evening. A minute of sliding out of the portrait hole it swung opened and James clambered out. He messed his hair and pushed his glasses up before swinging his arm around Lily's shoulders.

"Where are we patrolling tonight?" he asked her, tickling the side of her neck.

Lily giggled sliding away from him, and jabbing him in the ribs. "Transfiguration section," she said, "Apparently Professor McGonagall is out tonight, so we need to cover her floor. The Headmaster did apologize to me for having to cover for her."

James shrugged, "Everyone needs their own private time sometimes," he said leading the way down the stairs his arm still slung about her shoulders. A crease hung between his eyebrows and his lips curved down into a thoughtful frown.

"Something wrong?" Lily asked pausing on a staircase.

James shook his head, as if to clear it, "No, nothing, Lils," He said and forced a smile that Lily did not believe. "Really nothing, just, something that I need to tell you, but I'm not sure how to."

"Oh," Lily said, feeling her heart began to pound. What on earth could have James nervous? Had he decided that in fact that chase had been more fun then the conquest and wanted to kick Lily to the curb? Would he really do that so soon after things had began to solidify between them?

Her private thought and insecurities about her and James reared its head and waved from the background of her mind. Lily did her best to ignore it but as they walked on and James was still silent she could feel that fear growing. What was going on in James head, why was he so quiet and why was he not willing to speak to her about what was going on?

Lily mentally shook herself, really she was being silly. How many times did James have to suffer the same feelings waiting for Lily to open her big mouth and put words to the thoughts that he had been having.

"Lils, whatever you are thinking, stop thinking because it is not that at all so just stop it," James said poking Lily in the side who dodged him again.

"Am I that readable?" Lily asked, walking along with him and settling again into his side.

"Nah, I just know you that's all," James said running his hand down her spine. As always it gave Lily pleasant shivers.

"That you do," Lily said, giving him a pleasant smile. "So what is it that has you so upset that you don't seem to know what to say? You always know what to say, in fact you never shut-up."

"Hah. Hah. Hah. You are so funny," James said rolling his eyes, "Yeah, okay, it has something to do with Remus." Whatever Lily had been expecting it had not been that. "Well actually it has everything to do with Remus."

James seemed to be waiting for Lily to say something but whatever he wanted her to say Lily was not sure, "Go on?" She questioned putting her arm around his waist as much because she wanted to as to comfort him that she was not going to run away.

"It has to do with Remus and why he has always been gone during the full moon," James said slowly drawing the words out.

"Is it really that hard to say it?" Lily asked him.

"Yeah, because I promised him I wouldn't," James said.

"Then why are you?" Lily asked confused. James and she had fought together about keeping secrets from each other, how was it any different betraying the others secrets.

"Because Remus said that I can and I think that you need to know, friends should not keep secrets like this you know," James said messing his hair up.

"Okay, how about I just tell you what I think it is you are trying to tell me and you tell me if I am right or not right?" Lily said. James looked at her and then nodded his head. Lily gave him a small smile, "Come on James, I'm a smart witch and Remus is one of my best friends," Lily remind him gently.

"Right, okay, what do you think I am going to say?" James asked and squeezed his hand.

Lily took a deep breath, "Remus is a werewolf?" She suggested mildly, "I mean the scars on his face that he said a dog gave him?" Lily shook her head, "Not possible, well okay maybe possible but not probably when you factor in the fact he is always gone during the full moon and sick before and after the full moon."

James blinked at her, "How long have you known?" He asked her finally.

Lily gave his hand a squeezed, "A good while, I figured he would tell me when and if he decide the time was right."

James shook his head drawling Lily to him and squeezing her tightly, Lily squeaked, "You really are the most amazing woman, you know that right?" Lily blushed leaning her head against James chest and forgetting for a moment that they were supposed to be patrolling the corridors. James took a deep breath, which Lily felt more then heard, "You know there is more to the story right?" He asked.

"There always is," Lily said, "So what is it?" Lily asked leaning her head back to look up into James eyes she could let herself drown in those eyes of his.

"When we were in third year we figured out what Remus was." Lily nodded leaning his head back against James chest; "So Sirius, Peter and I decided that our best mate should not be going through something so painful and horrific as he was going through. So we began working on becoming Animagi. It took us a few years, until about fifth actually…."

"Your saying a bunch of fifth years became Animagi. Unregistered Animagi?" Lily asked sounding as dumbfounded as she felt.

"Err yeah, and then we would start going with Remus when he had to transform, I have an invisibility cloak from my Dad…." James said.

"You have an invisibility cloak?" Lily said sounding even more dumbfounded then before.

"Yeah I do," James said.

"Is that how you were following me around?" Lily asked.

"No, well sort of, we made a map of the school that shows peoples locations," James said.

"You what?" Lily asked her voice rising up another notch.

"A map of the school…." James said, "Were kind of getting off topic here," James said gently and Lily shook her head.

"Sorry a little overwhelmed over here," Lily said letting her head fall back against James chest. She must have lifted her head up when James had declared one of the three shocking revolutions that he had just given her.

"Yeah I guess it is a bit overwhelming at first," James said rubbing his fingers on Lily's neck.

"A little?" Lily asked shaking her head at him. A little was an understatement. Knowing what was going on with Remus was okay. Lily had thought something was going on since fourth year when she began adding two and two together and getting four. James, Sirius, Peter becoming unregistered Animagi was shocking, the fact James had a invisibility cloak which was extremely rare was a slap in the face, and to know about the map which he had used apparently to find her, was the icing on her huge cake of shock. And here James was saying it was a little overwhelming.

James pulled her tighter against him and Lily leaned into him. "Okay a lot," James said running his hands through her hair, "Anyway in fifth year we were able to do it, Peter was a rat so he could press a knot in the wimping willow that allowed us into the hidden tunnel into the shrieking shack," Lily did not even bother to comment on this, she would freak out later or taking it in stride. She was not quiet sure which yet.

"Okay," Lily said slowly as though the words were drawn out slowly from the depth of her stomach.

"And then once Remus transformed, well myself and Sirius were big enough that we could control him and we would wander about Hogsmeade…no one ever ever ever got hurt though!" James said quickly as he noticed Lily becoming pale. Lily took a deep breath shaking her head to clear it of all the other clambering voices in her head demanding her attention.

"Okay," Lily said taking a deep breath, "I do have a question though."

"Just one?" James asked gently, teasingly and Lily gave him a quick grin.

"One I can think of right now yeah," Lily said nodding her head.

"Okay shoot," James said running a finger down Lily's face as though he was afraid she was going to disappear if he walked away for a moment.

"What do you turn into?" Lily said. Of all her questions this one was less on her mind but it was the one that popped out when she opened her mouth.

James smiled at her kissing her on the forehead, "An easy question? You must be more shocked then I thought."

Lily rolled her eyes; if James was teasing her then he was feeling more normal then when they began rounds that night. "Going to answer it?" Lily asked, "And trust me, I will have more questions for you soon, and probably Remus, Peter and Sirius, right now though I want this on answered please," Lily said giving him a smile.

"Fine, a stag," James said.

Lily felt a grin spreading across her face, "Fitting," She said.

"Fitting?" James asked.

"My Patronus? That thing the DADA professor spook about?" Lily said.

"Yeah, I can do one," James said.

Lily felt her grin grow wider, "I am not shocked," Lily said, "Mines a doe. That's why it is fitting," Lily explained.

James smiled slightly and kissed the tip of Lily's nose, "Very fitting." He said.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

(Sirius- So the cat is out of the bag now.)

(Arya- I suppose it is.)

(Sirius- Please leave us a review and let us know what you think huh?)

(Arya- Yes reviews make for faster chapters!)

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Fully List of Things James Potter is not allowed to do

1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of rose

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans dreams come true

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of a fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

10) James Potter is never allowed to say sorry for something that he and Lily Evans are equally guilty for.

11) James Potter is not allowed to walk in the snow with Lily Evans

12) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans use him as a bed nor is he allowed to make Lily Evans see him all bed rumbled and cute.

13) James Potter is not allowed to prove to Lily Evans how "macho of a man" he is.

14) James Potter is not allowed to agree to meet Lily Evans for a "secret meeting"

15) James Potter is not allowed to give Lily Evans comfort when her world is turned upside down.

16) James Potter is not allowed to tell Lily Evans secerts.

17) James Potter is not allowed in any way shape or form allowed to follow Lily Evans around Hogwarts castle.


	12. Chapter 12 The Plot Thickens

**So apperently my ploy to get more reviews failed! Dang! Heheh. Here is the chapter. Let me know whatcha all think. A big huge thank you to MMM who is magical with my horrid spelling and writing. Also a very big shout out to those who have been reviewing! You guys ROCK! **

"You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no….anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell." –Remus Lupin

"I'm going to kill you, Harry Potter. I'm going to destroy you. After tonight, no one will ever again question my powers. After tonight, if they speak of your name, they'll speak only of how you begged for death, and I, being a merciful lord….. obliged." - Lord Voldemort

Chapter Twelve

The Plot Thickens

The news spread like a wild fire, it flew on the wings of an owl about the magical community; and swam the corridors of Hogwarts like he Loch Ness Monster. Four highly-trained Aurors had been found dead; a large skull with a snake pouring from its mouth hanging above them

Whispers of a man entered hurried conversations. The man that called himself Lord; who killed for purity of races; who was gathering an army of witches and wizards, and those magical creatures whose rights had always been denied. There had been killings and disappearances for months now, and their Ministry had been on guard. Yet this man's sudden appearance, and the tidal wave of horror he brought along with him had the Minister and his officials scampering to pick up the pieces.

Professor Dumbledore was rarely at Hogwarts these days; and when he was, it was like seeing a stooped and very old man.

Professor McGonagall had become cooler and more severe towards students and staff alike. Her hawk-like eyes missed nothing, and the tone of her voice sound like an owl's shrill cry. Students who had treaded lightly around her now tiptoed, apologizing for even the smallest of breaths.

Even under the cloud of despair, Hogwarts life went on. Beneath a heavy dose of ice rain, House teams practiced under the eyes of a teacher. Students sat shoulder to shoulder in the library noses inches from their books, quills at the ready.

The threats of O. and N.E. loomed large over the heads of fifth and seventh year students. The upcoming tests seemed a lot scarier than a man who was miles away from them.

Lily felt herself sadly unprepared for the upcoming test. St. Mungo's only taught those who were the top of the class, a mark Lily felt sure she fell well short of. The few hours of free time she had, were spent in the library surrounded by stack of books. Between classes, studying and Head Girl duty, Lily felt as though she learned little and retained even less. She also saw less and less of James.

James himself was just as busy as Lily was. He was weighed down by studying, as well as Head duties, and being Quidditch captain, but there was also a heavy weight on his shoulders that dragged his spirits down.

Dead.

His parents were dead.

They would never see him leave Hogwarts, or follow in their footsteps, or get married.

They would be laid to rest in eternal sleep, and James would be left to weather on.

In light of recent events, James drew nearer to Remus, Sirius and Peter. He leaned on them, as an old man would lean upon a walking stick.

In stolen moments together, the ever-winding thread between Lily and James drew tighter. In each second that ticked by a new fact about the other would pass from their lips. In moments of silence it was each other's strength they would drew upon.

It felt silly to think that time could be running out. Yet, Lily watched the slow-winding arms of a clock, worried at any moment time would just stop for them.

Lily had never thought that purity of race would become such a huge issue with witches and wizards. They were smart, and although they stayed out of Muggle affairs, they were not thick. They knew they needed the Muggle gene pool to survive, there were not enough Pureblood witches and wizards left in the world to sustain them. They had to have seen the Muggles try their own version of purity of race. In the end, it had not turned out well for anyone, especially the Nazis.

In all that she had heard about the "Lord" man, Lily believed he was a modern-day Hitler, or someone like him. Except instead of wanting to wipe out a minority religion from the earth, he wanted to rid his world of the unclean blood he believed polluted it, which brought about even more problems for the wizarding world than the approaching war. If he was successful in purifying the races, then avenues with which to repopulate the wizarding world grew very slim.

In a few decades, those of pure blood would have died off. Inbreeding between families and bloodlines weakened the genetics, until what you got was a sick sad image of a witch or wizard.

It would be complete and utter genocide.

"Lils, it's nearly eleven, are you coming up to bed?" Hestia asked, raising from the couch she and Lily had been sitting on, and tucking a textbook beneath on arm.

Lily shook her head no, glancing at her own watch. James and his team should have been back by now, practices were supposed to end at ten, a time that James had had to push for with the upcoming game.

"No, I think I'll wait up until James gets back," Lily said turning the page of her Potions textbook.

"Boy, has he got you, hook, line, and sinker," Hestia said, and with a little wave she swaggered out of the common room, and upstairs to the girls' dorm room.

Lily shook her head, and went back to the textbook…teased by the girl who snuck off every minute she got to "meet up with someone."

"Someone" that both Lily and James were sure was Sirius, especially since both of their friends were always absent at the same time. If they had really wanted to know what was going on, or if they were right, they could pull out the map that James and the Marauders had made. However, both of them had agreed though it would take the fun out of "guessing" where their friends were, and the ribbing that they gave them afterwards.

It was something fun to do, during a bleak time of murders and studying.

Kicking her feet up onto the couch, Lily settled back against the arm reading her Potions book, but not really taking in a word of what it was saying.

What could be holding James and his team up? Had they run into some sort of trouble on the grounds? It seemed like a silly thought, with Dumbledore, one of the most powerful wizards of their time about. It was foolhardy to try and attack Hogwarts.

The portrait hole swung open with a bang, and Lily jumped slightly, almost dropping her book. She had been daydreaming about a fight on the school grounds, and the wicked scary things the Headmaster would probably do to anyone dumb enough to try it.

The Gryffindor team was splashed with mud. Their hair was soaked and clinging to their robes, and large smiles were spread across their faces. A few of them waved to Lily, as they climbed up to their dorm rooms, still talking rather loudly. If they were not careful, they were going to wake up the whole dormitory. An electric charge seemed to have filled the air when they walked in, punching the air and laughing. James came in last. His wild, untamable hair lay flat about his head for once, drenched still with rainwater. Looking at him, Lily could see a deep red mixed with the brown of the mud that clung to him.

"Hey, Lils!" James said sounding more animated then he had since the news that his parents were missing. "You should have been at practice! It was amazing. Trying to fly in that wind, and rain is not the best conditions for a game, but we're a shoe-in for the win. Especially since Sirius evidently got caught in a tailwind, and plowed that Slytherin Chaser dolt into the ground..." James was grinning, as he walked over to the couch where Lily was sitting up. "They're both okay, but that Chaser won't be joining the game on Friday. Sirius should be fine by then!" He clapped his hands together, and then reached up to mess up his hair.

Lily laughed, shaking her head at him. Trust James to find something extremely funny about his best friend crashing into someone. "Are you sure the crash was intentional?" she asked him blinking when a few water drops hit her.

At least she knew now why James was sopping wet. None of the team had gone back to the changing rooms.

"Well, no," James said, and grinned again. "But either way, one member of the enemy team down!" Lily smiled at his enthusiasm. "Not that we couldn't kick their butts with a full team."

"Of course you could," Lily said, "Why don't you go and get dry?" She suggested, "It wouldn't do for you to get a cold."

James glanced down at himself, and then grinned, "Alright, I'll do that! Be here when I get back?"

Lily nodded her head, and laughed as James bounded up the stairs to the boys' dorm room. It was so funny to see her fellow dorm mates all riled up about the upcoming game. It seemed it was the same in both worlds, sports were highly important. Even more so then getting good marks on a test, or making sure to finish your homework instead of watching the game.

She had already over heard several students talking about boycotting any homework given the day before the game. Of course, none of the students she had heard complaining about the homework actually played on the House teams, which made her think they just wanted a reason to be lazier then usual.

"Dry, now," James said, as he strolled back into the common room looking drool-worthy in a black long sleeve shirt and jeans. He dropped onto the couch next to Lily, laying his head in her lap and shutting his eyes.

Lily ran her fingers through his still damp hair, wondering how it could look so untidy, yet be so soft and without a snarl in it. All Lily had to do was step outside for a moment, and poof, instant snarls that would take hours to get out if not for magic.

"Were you waiting up for me?" James asked, with his eyes shut.

Lily shook his head, and then remembered he could not see her. "No, I was studying."

"Really?" James asked, a smile stretching across his face.

"Really," Lily said, tapping his nose. In truth, she had been waiting for him, using the book as a reason for still sitting in the common room when he finally got back. Yet there was no need to let James know that, he was already cocky enough.

"What were you studying?" James asked, his lips stretching into his signature smirk.

"Potions," Lily said looking at the fireplace, in which a fire was burning low. The dancing orange flames were soothing to look at, and the crackle of the log was a low humming lullaby. The fire was something that had always enticed Lily to fall asleep; when the wind outside the stone castle had been so loud it drove her from her warm bed.

"Why? Your so good at them already, are you trying to make the rest of us look bad?" James asked.

Lily didn't answer him, but rather watched as the flames danced around in the fireplaces, and listened to the popping of the wood.

Would now be a good time to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind? Was it even an important question to be asking? With everything else that was going on, it seemed kind of selfish. Lily's hand lay on James head unmoving; quickly Lily drew it back and began playing with his hair again. James had opened his eyes and had been peering up at her, but they were slowly falling shut again as Lily ran her hands through his hair.

"It's late," Lily said, biting back the question that had been on the tip of her tongue to ask. James nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, it is. I'm glad you stayed up studying though, I missed just being with you," James said, and Lily smiled at that.

Sweet James, who always knew the right thing to say even when he was being the densest man on earth.

"I did too, even with being at the same school our time is limited because of our duties and homework," Lily muttered.

Was it just her, or was the air hotter than it had been a few moments ago? Lily could feel the heat rising up in her cheeks, even as the color rose in her face. She was seventeen for Merlin sakes! Why was it so hard for her to say what was on her mind? It wasn't as though she was going to ask James to come jump into bed with her, at least not yet. There were still a lot of things that they had to learn about each other, before finally giving into the baser need.

For a few moments Lily's mind spun down a railroad track, and her face heated up more and more until she was sure it matched the color of her hair. It was a good thing that James's eyes were closed otherwise he might cotton on to what was going through Lily's mind.

What if she was no good? What if she hated it? Lily knew most girls hated their first time having sex.

Hestia seemed to really like it, but then Hestia was Hestia, and Lily was Lily. They had both grown up in different ways, and Lily knew only what she had read in the romance novels about sex.

She wasn't jaded or anything, she knew the basics of what was supposed to happen, but still, knowing how it was suppose to happen and actually being good at it was two different things.

James hummed slightly. Lily had been scratching a tad harder at his head then she had in the beginning. He seemed to like it if the slight humming sound that he was making was any indication to it.

"Lily?" James asked turning his head so his noses pressed against Lily's stomach.

"Huh?" Lily asked, glancing down at him. His eyes were shut, his mouth was pressed upwards into a smile and strands of black hair lay at odder angles then they had been before Lily messed with them.

"What is bothering you so much?"

Lily blanched slightly; trust James to know that something was up. "It's silly," she said shaking her head even though James could not see her.

"Can't be that silly if it's bugging you, can it?" James asked her, opening his eyes and fixing her with an intense stare that had the heat going from mild to nuclear in half a minute flat.

"You won't laugh?" Lily asked, drawling circles on his forehead.

"Cross me heart," James said, drawing an X over his heart. Lily laughed at him.

"Whyhavn'tyoukissedmeyet," Lily said quickly glad that James eyes were closed.

She doubted that other girls would have trouble asking the same question, but then other girls had more experience then Lily herself did.

It occurred to her that she had not just been waiting for her foolish brain to shut up, and her heart to take over where James was concerned.

Of all the boys, men, that Lily knew, James was the most amazing of them all.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that," James said opening his eyes lazily.

Lily felt her face flush even more. If her face burned and her heart hammered when she thought about James kissing her, what would happen when he did?

'I would probably do something and screw it up,' she thought.

She met James's eyes for a moment, and then looked away blushing. From the corner of her eye, Lily could see James crocked smile. Lily half wondered if he had heard her, and just wanted her to say it again.

"Lils, you know you can ask me anything," James said.

Lily nodded, "Yes I do," she said glancing back at James whose eyes were peering up at her. "It works both ways, you know."

James nodded, moving the materiel of her blouse with each motion of his head, and tickling Lily with the sensation.

The heat in Lily's face lingered in her cheeks, and Lily worried that she looked like a tomato.

"So, are you going to tell me what it is that has you blushing a beautiful shade of red?" James asked, fighting back a yawn. Lily could see his watch, it was later then she had thought.

Lily took a deep breath, and let it out looking at James. His eyes were open and fixed on her face. "Why haven't we kissed?" she finally asked. James was very male after all; he would want that physical chemistry between the two of them.

"Because," James said, not bothering to elaborate on his answer. He took Lily's hand lacing his fingers with hers.

Lily felt the heat rising in her face again.

They had only just gotten together, and in the time leading up to their falling out had been getting to know each other.

She had been reading one too many romance novels, if she thought that kissing always happened at the couple's reconciliation or shortly there after.

"Because," James said again and Lily refocused on his face. "Everything is more special when you wait."

Lily smiled. The line seemed right out of the player's handbook. The truth of those words made Lily's heart pound.

James smiled at her.

Part of her still wished that they wouldn't wait, that they would let the chemistry between them explode. Time seemed to be running short, what ifs ran rampit through out the hallways and their world.

"Don't." James said.

Lily glanced down, James sat up, letting her hand go and then taking it again when he was sitting up fully again.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Dwell on what ifs," James said, running a finger down the bridge of Lily's nose and back up again. "You'll get wrinkles. Everything will work out, you'll see. They'll catch this lunatic."

Lily nodded. It was hard not to believe him when he sounded so confident and sure.

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Early the next morning, Lily wandered downstairs twisting a hair tie into her hair. A small crowd of people stood in the common room. Many of them were talking in loud voices cutting each other off, and some were trying to see over the others heads. They were all peering at the bulletin board that hung on the wall.

"Excuse me," Lily said, making her way around a few of the students to the front of the line. A large notice had been hanging on the bulletin broad.

The notice was brand-new; it hadn't been there last night when Lily and James had gone to bed.

By Order of the Ministry Of Magic

All trips into Hogsmeade for the foreseeable future have been cancelled for students' protection.

Someone bumped into Lily, and she stepped aside not bothering to finish reading the notice. It had only been a matter of time before the trips into Hogsmeade was canceled. After the deaths of the Aurors had been announced, it was not surprising to Lily that they were over with.

Warm arms wrapped around Lily's shoulders drawing her backwards. James scent surrounded her, masculine and refreshing.

"Good morning, James," Lily said turning her head slightly to the side so she could at less get a glimpse of him.

"What has everyone so excited this early in the morning?" Sirius asked coming up beside Lily, and trying to look through the screen of students to the bulletin board. It seemed the common room was filling up students anxious to get to their Daily Prophets and find out what was happening in the wizarding world.

"No more Hogsmeade trips for a while," Lily said, "I wonder if something else happened aside from the Auror murders?"

James handed tightened slightly on Lily's waist and Lily squeezed his hands gently in a reassuring manner.

Sirius snorted, "Yeah, I'm sure this is going to keep us all safe, huh, Red? You were attacked in the dungeon hallways," He rolled his eyes, "We all feel so safe."

"That was Snape," Lily said, shaking her head at him.

Sirius snorted again, louder, "Yeah? I don't see how that's much better, Red."

"She's told you not to call her 'Red'," James said, sounding mad for some reason. Lily twisted to look at him. He did look rather upset.

"James, it's okay, it's just something we taunt each other with," she said shrugging her shoulders. "I know Snape is probably no better then those people killing everyone but…that was an in school fight, not an attack." Lily said.

"Right, them going after a Muggle born, no huge coincidence," Sirius said sounding more sarcastic.

Lily rolled her eyes at him; apparently there was a broom up Sirius's bum that morning.

"Someone needs coffee!" Lily said, at the same time James let her go knocking her towards the floor. She hit the ground there was a loud thump, as James fist slammed into the side of Sirius's faces.

Lily could see a few flakes of blood splatter from Sirius's mouth. Sirius spun around and slammed his own fist into James, who doubled backwards. James grabbed him and before Lily could drag herself up off of the floor, it was an all-out fistfight.

Students catching on to what was going on began surrounding the two fighting men, cheering whomever they wanted to win.

Lily scampered up off of the floor, stepping out of the way as Sirius and James swung around at each other again.

Sirius slammed his fist into the side of James head, and knocked his spectacles askew.

"Alice ran to grab McGonagall," Hestia said, appearing at Lily's elbow.

Lily leaned over, grabbing the fallen glasses. "Unless she gets here soon, they're both going to knock each other on the heads and be unconscious."

"James, Sirius, that's enough!" Remus said stepping from the midst of the crowd.

Sirius threw him a dirty look, and swung a hard punch towards James face, but James deflected and slammed his fist into Sirius's stomach.

"I said that was enough!" Remus said, stepping between his two friends. Sirius had swung his fist again, noticing too late that Remus was in the way and caught him hard in the lip.

"Oh!" Lily cried, as both Sirius and James came to a standstill.

Sirius looked guilty when he saw the blood coming from Remus split lip.

"Here," Lily said handing James his glasses, and giving Remus a fresh handkerchief to press against his lip.

"Thanks," he muttered, giving both combatants the hairy eyeball

Noticing that the fight was over students began wandering away, most heading towards the dinning hallway.

Hestia sighed. "Well that was fun. Want to tell us what its about?"

"Mind your own damn business," Sirius snapped, at her his eyes narrowed.

Hestia narrowed her own eyes. Lily caught a trace of hurt on her face, but it was gone within a moment.

"Fine then!" She strolled off out of the portrait hole, her back rigid.

Lily shook her head. "Black, you have the emotional range of a teaspoon! I don't know why you two were fighting, but figure it out and get over it, fast"

Lily gave them both dark looks, and followed Hestia out of the portrait hole.

It was not clear to her what had started the fight, but then maybe Sirius had said something to James that had really gotten under his skin last night, and it had carried over into the morning.

"Hestia, you okay?" Lily asked coming up beside her friend, who had stopped halfway up the hallway and was looking out the window.

Hestia quickly wiped her eyes, trying not to let Lily notice she was doing so, and nodded her head. "Yeah, fine."

"Guys can be stupid," Lily said, thinking about the way Sirius had struck out at her for no reason.

"Uh huh," Hestia said, "Those Aurors who died, the Potters, were they close to Sirius?"

Lily nodded her head yes.

"Guess that explains a little of it," she muttered wiping at her eyes again.

"Come on, lets eat," Lily said looping her arm through Hestia's, and leading the way towards the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was in an uproar when Lily and Hestia walked in there. The basic gist of what was going on seemed to have come from The Daily Prophet. Frowning, Lily sat down.

"Can I borrow your paper?" she asked the girl next to her.

"Keep it."

Hestia sat down next to her, reading over Lily's shoulder.

Neither of them had to search to far to find the answers they were looking for. Splashed across the front page was a new article about an attack. Apparently Hogsmeade had been invaded last night. Tall dark cloaked figures had moved through the village, taking away all the good feelings and happiness that had dwelt there. It was only when Ministry Aurors had appeared, that they had been driven them off. A young girl had been caught outside, and had lost her mind during the attack.

"Dementors," Lily said setting the newspaper down, and taking a sip of her coffee for something to do with her hands. She had heard about the creatures and had learned how to cast a Patronus—at least in theory.

"Huh?" Hestia said, frowning.

"Creatures that suck all the happiness out of someone," Lily said. "Remus told me about them. If they get the chance, they will kiss you."

"Kiss you?" Hestia asked, looking at Lily as though she had just said the most absurd thing ever heard.

"Yeah," Lily said shaking her head. "When they kiss you they aha…they suck out your soul."

Even as she said it, Lily shuddered at the thought. How could someone, anyone still live when his or her soul was gone? It seemed to her that your heart would stop beating, not keep on going carrying you through until you finally did died.

Hestia had been serving herself as Lily spoke, but now she made a face and pushed her plate of food away

Lily folded up The Prophet. "This is bad," she said.

"Yeah, very bad," Hestia said, getting her own coffee. "I guess there is not much that we can do in school, though. Except stay out of trouble," She took a sip of her hot liquid.

Lily nodded her head, pulling her hair tie out of her hair and putting it onto her wrist. "And not get into fights?"

Hestia snorted. "We need to talk to James and Sirius about that, the two fatheads," She said as they entered the hallway and head over to them.

Hestia narrowed her eyes at them and turned back towards her coffee, choosing to ignore them. Lily gave them a rather hairy eyeball without saying anything. She thrust the newspaper at them, so that they could catch up on what had happened that morning and taken away their Homemade trips.

James and Sirius both cursed rather impressively after reading the article. Remus took it from them, puckering his lips in a disapproving look. Even the teachers were having a hard time hiding their anger about the situation. Two dark red spots colored McGonagall's cheeks as she sat talking with tiny Professor Flitwick.

From where Lily sat, she could have no hope in hearing what was being said. By their expressions though, Lily could tell it was rather nerve pinching.

"What's the matter, Remus?" Sirius asked and Lily looked around.

James and Sirius were sitting on either side of Remus, both of them sporting some lovely colored bruises. Remus was looking at the inside of The Prophet. His face had gone pale, and he seemed to have forgotten the piece of toast in his hand.

"Remus?" both James and Lily said.

Remus swallowed hard enough to hear. He thrust the newspaper at Sirius, who began scanning the page until he found what Remus had been looking at.

"Listen to this." he said, clearing his throat once before beginning to read.

**THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES**

**Further developments in the deaths of the four Aurors have been made this morning. A ministry official, who chooses to remain anonymous, believes the Avada Kedavra curse was used—**

"Avada Kedavra?" Lily asked.

"Hush," James said, looking at Sirius who kept reading.

**Further evidence on the bodies has the led the Ministry to believe that werewolves were involved in the disappearances, and eventual deaths of the Aurors. Ministry officials who wrongfully believed the werewolves were behind the attack can now say that the werewolves have aligned themselves with the man calling himself "Lord". It is strongly suspected that one Fenrir Greyback led the attack against the now deceased Aurors. Greyback, a well-known werewolf who prides himself on converting wizards and witches at a young age, has vanished leaving behind a bloody trail of bodies.**

Sirius finished folding the newspaper up and laying it on his empty plate.

The six of them had gone rather quiet, not meeting the others' eyes. Lily watched James, seeing a slide show of emotions flash across his face. Remus seemed to have found it hard to swallow, because despite a few sips of coffee his mouth seemed to have gone rather dry.

Only Hestia seemed to have no idea why the article had struck such a nerve. She was sipping her coffee, eyes on the stormy grey ceiling. "Well it's not all that shocking. Fenrir was involved," she said finally, looking at the other five. "From what my father said he was a bad bloke even before getting bitten."

"Do you know how old he was when he was changed?" Lily asked, trying to break the tension around them.

"Um," Hesita scrunched up her face in thought, "Around fifteen, I think."

Remus was sitting stooped down in his seat. He nodded in agreement to what Hesita had said.

"Most of the werewolves he has bitten always end up becoming killers. He isolates them and gets them to depend on him." Hesita said.

"Most, but not all," Sirius said. Hesita gave him a questioning look. Sirius blinked shooting a sideways glances at James and Remus.

"No, not all." Hesita said nodding apparently getting whatever silent message that Sirius had been conveying. "Some grow up just fine and marry and such."

"Wouldn't it be neat," James said slowly, "If there was a school where werewolves could go and learn magic?"

"Yeah it would," Sirius agreed.

"Yep," Peter said, chiming in for the first time.

Hesita grinned, "It would go a long way for creature rights," She poured more coffee into hers and Lily's mugs, "Remus would make a good Professor there," she said off-handedly. Lily wondered how much her friend knew, or at least guessed.

James grinned, tossing an arm around Remus's shoulder. "Professor R. J. Lupin, has a nice ring to it."

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(Sirius- Well well well….the plot becomes thicker mmmh?)

(Arya- Oh gee, you did not just do the creepy don voice, did you?)

(Sirius- Hey. you're the one who wanted to watch the God Father!)

(Arya- Whatever-)

(Sirius- So mean for such a looker….Ouch…Don't hit!...Anyway we have noticed a slack off in reviews. This makes Arya moody. So to keep her from killing me-)

(Arya- I am not going to kill you, Sirius…)

(Sirius: Give us some more reviews, will you? Thanks..!)


	13. Chapter 13 Not helping, James!

**Author's Note- I am sorry for those of you that where looking for the new update on the list of things that James Potter is not allowed to do. I forgot to add it to the end of the list, last chapter. So I have put both what James Potter is not allowed to do update's at the end of this chapter. By my math, we have about seventy one more things left on the list of what James Potter is not allowed to do. There is only five remaining month's in this story, which means that we are coming to an end. But never fear faithful readers, I am not going to stop writing. I am in the process of speaking with my amazing and wonderful beta reader MM n M, about starting another story, over the summer. My goal for the end of this story is to at less have reached three hundred reviews, I know we can do it, please, please, please, help me reach that goal! And do not forsake me dear readers. on roller coaster ride may be ending but another one will soon began again! **

I am not the amazing multi talented J.K Rowling. I just get to mess around with her amazing wonder drool worthy characters that she has created and shine my own light on the years before Harry Potter series!

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Fred: Oh get out of the way, Percy. Harry's in a hurry.  
George: Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant.

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Not Helping, James!

Days passed like the waves of an ocean breaking hard upon the sandy beach. Rain fell down into thick puddles upon the ground, turning said ground into a soggy swamp. Mud splattered up over the boots of students or teachers that dared to trudge outside. Trees that had been trying to blossom began to wilt again, under the heavy onslaught of rain. Water sloshed up over the rivers banks, and students brave enough to stand there would run back a few steps screaming when a long black tentacle jumped out from the water.

It was startling to think that there was only five months left in Lily's final year of Hogwarts. Before she knew it, it would be time to sit in on her N.E.W.T's, and then she would be leaving Hogwarts.

Front most in everyone's mind was the war that was raging outside of the walls. Although it had touched them with a light finger during these months at Hogwarts, no one knew what would happen when they rejoined their world.

Fear clutched everyone, as students pondered the fact that at that very moment their breathing could cease, and they would become mere names on the list of war casualties

It was an interesting phenomenon to witness. Faced with the uncertainty of life beyond the walls of Hogwarts, students bonded closer together. Teachers were handing out detentions like they were party favors to couples caught in compromising positions.

Younger students, who did not yet lead with their hormones, began walking in groups together trying hard to keep the feeling of fear and uncertainty out of their young faces. Those who were older took comfort in each other's touch and embraces. Unused classrooms became a general place for snogging and the like. Students walked down the hallways hand and hand together, laughing and smiling as they took comfort in that soft touch.

News about new deaths arrived each day in The Daily Prophet. A few students had vanished from the corridors, as news about the death of their loved ones reached their ears.

It was a rollercoaster of emotions that hung like a thick heavy cloak over all the students, almost suffocating them.

Teachers and prefects still patrolled the hallways together looking out for any signs of trouble. Slytherins were finding different students alone or in small groups and tormenting them. When they thought teachers were not listening, they whispered loudly about the Pureblood ways and what would happen when their "Master" took control.

Half of them, Lily thought, where just blowing puffs of smoke. She did not think most had the guts to do what was happening in the outside world. They would be ones who fell beneath the blades of the swords.

The other half…

Lily had no doubt that they would do what was being threatened in not-so-quiet whispers. They were mean and stupid enough to do so and follow whatever orders they were given, without questioning them.

Then there were some of them who just wanted power, and would ride on the cloak strings of anyone who would offer it to them. They were not above thieving and murder it gave them power.

Even inside the castle walls with N.E. dropping down on their shoulders, there was a small war going on between the students of Hogwarts when the teachers were not paying attention.

Despite the ever-mounting load of homework that was raining down onto her shoulders, Lily found she did not mind wandering about Hogwarts. Generally it was a quiet time, away from the prying eyes of everyone in the common room. Usually, James would accompany her (to keep her out of the crosshairs of prowling Slytherins) but he had gotten himself placed in detention, so Lily wandered the corridors alone.

Lily's watch counted down the minutes until midnight when February would arrive and January would vanish away on a magical sleigh ride. (I don't know how I feel about that one. I would just say vanish.) Her shoes made soft tapping sounds on the stone of the corridor she was to be patrolling.

A slight scuffling sound reached Lily ears as she turned the corner. Lily paused, wondering if she should make her presence known, or if she should remain quiet and not say anything. If they were a couple of Slytherins, odds were high they would jump out from where they were, wands blazing.

Halfway down the corridor, Lily came to a half-open classroom, where the noise seemed to be coming from. It didn't sound like a fight, but rather passion. Lily frowned. Which students had snuck out past curfew this time? Last week, James had caught Diggory in a compromising position with a Ravenclaw girl, a fact he lorded over the two when he met them in the corridors. Diggory took James ribbing in stride. Neither he, nor the girl said anything, because they were grateful James had done a catcall, but not reported them.

Lily paused, her hand outstretched to push the door all the way open. She put her other hand to her mouth.

Sirius and Hestia!

Sirius shirt was cast off on the floor. Hestia's fingers were digging into his back and one of her legs were lifted, wrapping just underneath Sirius's bum.

The muscles in Sirius back were strained and well-defined, sharp edges of his shoulders leading down his back and the perfectly curved edge of his spine leading into a perfectly shaped bum which was in even more perfect view because of Hestia leg pushing it up.

Fighting the inner hyena Lily turned away as the buttons in Hestia shirt snapped open.

That had been a lot more of Sirius than Lily had wanted to see. However, she had to admit the rumors about Sirius's body being drool-worthy were true.

As for Hestia and her pink poke-a-dot bra…

The giggles that Lily had been stifling a few moments before began bubbling up to the surface, as she ran up several flights of steps.

Apparently Hestia, who had been giving Sirius the cold shoulder sense he had bitten her head off, had gotten over it.

Either that, or her friend had missed looking at Sirius's very nice muscles. Lily was sure if Sirius had looked like that from the back he had to look pretty damn good from the front. Lily wondered how James would look without his shirt on, probably a whole lot better then Sirius did. In Lily's eyes, James, not Sirius, would make a beautiful Michelangelo. Then again, she was attracted to James, not Sirius.

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The storm, which had been brewing last night had waned leaving large black clouds in the sky. Students spoke lowly between each other ruffling Daily Prophets, sipping coffee and flipping through textbooks.

Lily sat next to James, his arm around her waist as he read through The Prophet. She picked idly at her breakfast, listening to Alice and Frank debate which of the three teams left (Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw) had a better chance of winning the Cup.

James had not been back from detention when Lily had made it back to the common room; and not wanting to face Sirius or Hestia and let the inner hyena lose, Lily had gone directly up to bed.

Lily had not had a chance to share what she had seen with James that morning, since they had gone directly down to breakfast… James claiming that he was starving. Now that Lily had time to think about it, she was not sure if she should go blabbing to James about it. It was not a huge secret to share, and it was not something that was leading her friends to harm. It was just leading them to a tumble between the sheets…or in their case, against the wall.

The two people who were creating the debate in Lily's mind entered the Great Hall. Remus was walking with them, smiling.

"What is wrong, Lily? You're really red," Peter said, from his spot across from Lily and James.

"Aha," Lily muttered.

"Good morning," Sirius said cheerfully sitting down next to Lily, who set her coffee mug down on the table.

Sirius was fully clothed this morning, but the image of him shirtless with Hestia's leg wrapped around him was all Lily could see.

"I'm sorry, I aha, I have to go!" Lily said standing up quickly feeling the inner hyena trying to break free. James made an oomph sound when Lily stood up. His arm fell off of her waist, where it had been resting.

"Lils, what's the matter?" Hestia asked, noting her red face. "You feel okay?"

"Fine, just fine, wonderful in fact," Lily said to her shoes, knowing if she looked at Hestia she would burst out laughing. Waving her hand she hurried out, before any of her friends or her boyfriend could ask her any more questions. Would the inner hyena come bursting out whenever she saw Sirius and Hestia from now on?

She was seventeen now. Seeing a naked body or a half naked body as was the case should not have been unusual. However she did not know many people who had seen two of their friends half-naked pressing each other into a desk.

"Oh Merlin!" Lily muttered slumping against a wall in the third floor corridor, giggling like mad into her hands.

A hand reached out dropping onto Lily's shoulder. She screeched and giggled, dropping her hands and looking up.

James was standing next to her, looking confused, "Lils, what's the matter? You're acting very, um, strange?"

"Where's Sirius?" Lily asked, still giggling, "and Hestia?" Now that the inner hyena had been let lose it did not want to be caged back up.

"In the Great Hall," James said raising an eyebrow at her, his hand touched her forehead obviously worried she was ill. Either ill, or losing her mind.

Lily nodded her head, taking a deep breath and leaning back against the wall. Sirius and James made this look a lot more comfortable then it actually was. Lily stood up straight again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you…." she said giving James a smile, but he was still looking worried.

"Did something happen with Sirius…" James asked, now sounding worried and jealous

Lily almost started laughing again. James was worried that she had done something with Sirius? "No, I just say him shirtless," Lily said.

"Shirtless?" James said sharply.

"With Hestia's hands all over him," Lily said, starting to giggle again. "And she was in a pink polka dot bra….Oh Merlin," Lily hid her face, giggling.

The brief glimpse of James face had been enough to start Lily giggling again. His mouth was hanging slightly, opening and closing as if he was trying to say something.

James cleared his throat several times before letting his own laugh slip through his lips. "Well, I guess we were right in thinking they were together, then…Merlin, I'm sorry you had to see Sirius without a shirt, I'm sure it gave you nightmares?"

"Mmmh. I wouldn't say that." Lily said, wiping her eyes.

"So you thought Sirius chest was nice to look at?" James said.

"I only saw his back...and his bum, which was made rather more prominent because Hestia's leg was wrapped under it…" Lily said, shaking her head and laughing again.

James shook his head, "I do not believe this, my girlfriend was checking out my best friend…"

"Oh geez, James! Yeah, Sirius is a looker, and yes I looked. Because well, it was all on display. But you know what? Your hotter, and I am sure what's under your shirt is more impressive than what's under Black's." Lily said, before dissolving into giggles again.

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"So?" Hestia asked.

"So…what?" Lily asked, glancing up from the Potions essay she had been working on, and looking at her friend who was sitting across from her.

"Valentines Day!" Hestia said almost squealing.

It had taken Lily almost a week before she could look at her friends without bursting into giggles. James had been no help; he had just kept humming The Wedding March whenever they were in the same room together.

At times, she was still overcome with a case of the giggles. As James had said, seeing two of their friends shirtless was the things of nightmares. Or deep embarrassment.

"What about Valentines Day?" Lily asked, her quill flying across the parchment, as she half paid attention to what Hestia was saying.

"Oh, come on Lily, Valentines Day! The day of love, duh! What are you and James going to do?" Hestia asked, giving Lily a sharp jab in the leg with her foot.

Lily shot her friend a glare, before rolling her eyes and turning the page of her Transfiguration book. "You do know who started the tradition of Valentine's Day right? I mean the story behind it?"

"Some kind of love story?" Hestia said, smartly.

Lily shook her head. "St. Valentine. He was martyred with a bunch of people way back in the eighteenth century. Valentine's Day came out of a day of blood, not a day of love."

Hestia snorted. "Well, that was hundreds of years ago, and since then it has turned into a day of love, so why aren't you excited about it?"

Lily rolled her eyes at her friend, finishing the last paragraph of her Transfiguration essay, and waving her hand over it so the ink dried quickly. "I just don't think Valentine's Day is anything but a big hoax"

"A hoax?" Hestia said in disbelief.

"Yeah. It came out of a day of death. The Muggle world made the love thing up because stores wanted to pick up the pace of sales between Christmas and Easter." Lily said rolling her paper up, and sealing it with her wand. She pulled her finished Potions easy towards her letting her eyes scan the neatly written words.

Hestia shook her head, "You are not very romantic," she said pointing a quill at Lily. Lily snorted, shaking her head before sealing the second essay

"I'm plenty romantic, I am just not very found of Valentines Day," Lily said with a shrug.

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Even with Lily's thoughts about Valentine's Day, it wasn't easy to ignore the fact that it was coming up. It was all any of the females of Hogwarts wanted to talk about in the passing days. In the girls' bathrooms, girls were talking about love potions, and comparing what guys they wanted to entice to spend the day with them.

Lily almost missed all the talk about death and dying, it would have been a welcome change to the talk about Valentines Day.

She just didn't get why girls and boys were always so excited about Valentines Day. In her opinion, everyone should just treat every day as Valentines Day. Not just one day out of the year. What was the point of being a relationship, unless every day was a celebration of that love between the two who were together?

James had not agreed nor disagreed with Lily; in fact, he seemed to find it funny how passionate Lily got on the subject.

There had been times when James had clamped a hand over Lily's mouth in order to get her to shut-up before she got herself in trouble, when she'd been arguing with Hestia. In her defense though, Hestia started the arguments just as much as Lily did.

It just seemed silly to Lily, taking one day out of the year to celebrate love. Growing up, she had seen love celebrated each and every day in gentle kisses and touches, and small gifts once in a while. In her mind, Lily could never remember Valentine's Day being all that big a deal. Her father was an English professor at a collage, and would always go on rants about the commercialism of Valentine's Day, and how they just wanted the consumers money.

"Hello, Lily-flower," James said, dropping a kiss on the side of Lily's head. He dropped down into a chair beside her, his Quidditch robes still slightly damp from being out in the rain. "Studying?"

"As always, yes," Lily said grinning at him. She was taking up one entire table in the common room, reading and rewriting different essays as she went along.

"Want some help?" James offered and Lily laughed.

"I think studying with you would be a distraction, not a help, but thanks," Lily said smiling widely.

"You think I'm not smart," James said, sounding affronted, Lily looked around quickly, worried she had upset him by saying no. The corners of James mouth were twitching. He was teasing her, as always.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Oh, you're plenty smart, but I don't think I will be getting any work done with you buzzing about my table, and whispering in my ear."

"Am I distracting you?" James asked, grinning now,

Lily shook her head yes.

"Maybe I should just…go away then?"

"You don't have to leave," Lily said quickly. They had so little time together anyway; it didn't matter to her if she had to shelve the rest of the homework for later to sneak in a couple extra minutes of time with James. "It is the weekend, I can finish this," Lily gestured to the pile of books and papers in front of her, "Later."

James grinned, suddenly looking like a boy whose favorite toy had been given back to him, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm positive," Lily said packing her things away into her school bag, and setting it aside.

The common room was oddly empty for the weather being so horrid. The soft murmur of voices mixed with the gentle tap-tap-taps of the rainwater beating against the window.

"How was practice?" Lily asked James, moving with him into some of the more comfortable chairs by the fire.

James grinned before going off into a play by play about practice that day. He spoke fast, using his hands to illustrate a point that he was trying to make. Lily nodded, and asked questions here and there. She was not a huge Quidditch fan like the rest of her world…she was just not a huge fan of sports, but it was nice to see the way James eyes lit up whenever he spoke about something that he loved. The tired look he had under his eyes since hearing about his parents' death would vanish, at least for a little while.

His smile would become brighter, more relaxed, as if he was a little boy again getting his very first broomstick from his mum and dad.

"….took a Bludger to his nose…"

"Wait who got hit?" Lily asked, she had been trying to figure out what he meant by passing to the wrong teammate…the bloody idiots.

"Sirius, but Madam Pomfrey is putting him to rights, and I'm sure Hestia will kiss it better." James said.

"Oh Merlin, James! I do not need to think about those two snogging!" Lily said, shaking her head back and forth. The image of Sirius and Hestia intertwined came flooding back to her mind, heating her face

James laughed at her, tapping her nose as he shook her head, "But it's so cute when you blush like that."

"You wouldn't think it was cute if you had that image ingrained in your mind forever!" Lily shook her head, trying to clear her eyes.

"What image?" Hestia asked, as she and Sirius came over.

Lily's eyes went round for a moment, looking at James who was looking at her. Remus and Peter chose that moment to wander over from the table where they had been working on homework. Remus had been trying to show Peter the finer points of potion making. Lily had tried, but Peter had only gotten frustrated and said something about girls not knowing how to teach.

James began to laugh and Lily followed suit, burying her face in her hands and shaking her head when Remus asked them what was so funny.

A slight hum intertwined with the laughter. Lily quieted her giggling, refusing to look at anyone, she collapse back into a fit of laughter for all to hear, James was humming The Wedding March again.

"Oh Merlin," Lily gasped, holding her ribs and laughing harder than before.

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(Sirius- Oh Merlin….that was….I mean…Well…I just….Aha….And she saw that bra…aha…my favorite bra…aha…)

(Arya- Oh gee Sirius, you were having fun in a empty classroom past cerfew during "Dark times")

(Sirius- But still….that is…and she was checking me out…? Checking ME out!... And then saying James is more drool worthy? Did she even SEE my chest? Really!?)

(Arya: Oh releax Sirius.)

(Sirius- I am defiantly more buff…._

(Arya- Ohhhhkay then. Everyone please review…let us know who you think is more hot would you?)

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1) James Potter must never give Lily Evans a bed of rose

2) James Potter must never comfort Lily Evans when she is hurt or sick

3) James Potter is not allowed to make Lily Evans take care of herself when she is sick.

4) James Potter must not make Lily Evans dreams come true

5) James Potter must never dance with Lily Evans

6) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans in front of a fire.

7) James Potter is not allowed to write Lily Evans parents and ask permission to date her.

8) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans keep his sweater.

9) James Potter is not allowed to comfort Lily Evans during a storm.

10) James Potter is never allowed to say sorry for something that he and Lily Evans are equally guilty for.

11) James Potter is not allowed to walk in the snow with Lily Evans

12) James Potter is not allowed to let Lily Evans use him as a bed nor is he allowed to make Lily Evans see him all bed rumbled and cute.

13) James Potter is not allowed to prove to Lily Evans how "macho of a man" he is.

14) James Potter is not allowed to agree to meet Lily Evans for a "secret meeting"

15) James Potter is not allowed to give Lily Evans comfort when her world is turned upside down.

16) James Potter is not allowed to tell Lily Evans secerts.

17) James Potter is not allowed in any way shape or form allowed to follow Lily Evans around Hogwarts castle.

18) James Potter is not allowed to snuggle with Lily Evans on the couch.

19) James Potter may not rest his head in Lily's lap.

20) James Potter is not allowed to miss Lily Evans in anyway.

21) James Potter is not allowed to know when Lily Evans is upset.

22) James Potter is not allowed to be a silver tongue charmer to find out what is on Lily Evan's mind.

23) James Potter is not allowed to not tell Lily Evans when he plans on kissing her.

24) James Potter is not allowed to remained Lily Evans that she can always trust him, not matter what.

25) James Potter is not allowed to get into a fight over Lily Evans especially not with one of her best friends.

26) James Potter is not allowed to be jealous over Lily Evans, especially not jealous about Lily Evans being close with his best friends!

27) James Potter is not allowed to upset about Lily Evans checking out his half dressed best friend.

28) James Potter is not allowed to call Lily Evans flowery nick names

29) James Potter is not allowed to distract Lily Evans from her homework

30) James Potter is not allowed to find ways to make Lily Evans blush.


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